


Rebuilding Our Lives

by BookwormKAF



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Amortentia, Apprentice - Freeform, Comfort, Dream Journal, F/M, Hogwarts Professors, Love, Night Terrors, Nightmares, Post-War, Potions, Potions Masters, master - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-13 23:44:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 77,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20591102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookwormKAF/pseuds/BookwormKAF
Summary: She saved Severus after the war, knowing the truth that he was indeed a good man. But then she decided to become his apprentice when he returns to Hogwarts to teach. A simple potion has both of them reeling, will either one do anything about it? Slow Burn SS/HG AU. AU AU AU! Former student- teacher relationship. Apprentice/Master relationship- NO LONGER A STUDENT-





	1. Chapter 1

Her heart was pounding against her chest. Her feet seemingly moved on their own accord, Madame Pomfrey following behind her. She could hear the old woman huffing behind her, but she refused to let up. She was on a mission. As soon as they all had known that Harry was okay, that Voldemort was really gone, everyone decided to find bodies, and survivors alike. They needed to start somewhere. She had insisted, though some had protested, on taking the mediwitch to find one person in particular, although it wasn't really finding, as she knew already where he was.

"It's just through here." She said, leading the way into the shrieking shack. She rushed in and quickly found where he lay. He was pale, paler than normal. His eyes were closed, and for a moment she was sure that he had perished, but then she saw his chest rise and fall rapidly, taking a shallow breath of air.

"Oh gods, he's still alive." She heard Madame Pomfrey gasp. The witch then proceeded to kneel down and pry the mans hand off of his neck, which began to bleed profusely. She pulled her wand out, and began to mutter an incantation, but the younger woman stopped her.

"Wait. Arthur Weasley was bitten by the same snake two years ago, the venom. It needs to be taken out." She said, placing a hand on the mediwitch's arm.

"How do you suggest we do that? I don't know a spell that would accomplish that." She said, and thoughts began to run through the other woman's mind. She swore that she had read something in one of her father's medical journals. Something about how to extract snake venom. It hit her, and she took a deep breath before leaning down over the man's neck.

"Suck it out. Do a charm to test his blood. Make sure it's all out before we heal him." She said quickly, and the mediwitch nodded, her mouth falling open when the other woman attached her lips to the mans wound, getting a mouthful of blood, then spitting it onto the ground. They only had precious moment before she knew it would be too late. She continued like this for what seemed like forever, suck, spit, suck, spit. She gagged a couple times when the blood hit her throat, and it was one of these times when the mediwitch cast the charm to test his blood.

"Its clean." She said, and proceeded to lean forward and casting multiple complex charms to heal the man. The other woman gagged a few times, and spit what was in her mouth on the ground once more before turning back to the injured man. She helped the other woman, casting a few healing spells of her own, and pouring dittany onto the wound. Slowly, too slowly in her opinion, the wound began to close. After what seemed like hours, the wound turned into a nasty purple scar spanning the mans throat. She feared that possibly they had been too late, perhaps he was already dead. She studied him, and stuck her hand on his chest, trying to find a pulse. She couldn't feel anything through his layers of robes though, and instead placed her head on his chest. She held her breath, trying to hear a heartbeat. She felt tears enter her eyes. They had been too late. So many people had died, she had hoped that she could save one. Even if it was Severus Snape. She pulled her head away and let the tears fall.

"You git… you bastard!" She said, and she pounded her fist on his chest. "I came here to help you- and instead- you – decide – to – DIE!" She screamed, punctuating the last part of the sentence with a pound on his chest.

"Please Miss G-" Madame Pomfrey was cut off as the man gasped. He opened his eyes for a moment, just enough to see the woman kneeling over him. He closed his eyes again and let out a raking sigh.

"Miss Granger… Thank you." His voice was raspy, and his hand went to hers, resting on his chest. He grasped her hand for a moment before he went limp. She then looked up at Madame Pomfrey, who met her gaze.

"We should get him out of here, he needs to go to Mungo's." Hermione said, and Pomfrey nodded in agreement. They worked together to get him out of the shack, and levitated him up to the castle. People stared in awe, as most of the people remaining in the castle were under the unwavering opinion that he was a death eater. He was hated, that much was plain. But Hermione knew of the memories that Harry had watched, she knew that this man was anything but evil. Once they had him in the Great Hall, where the other wounded were laying, Madame Pomfrey rushed over to what Hermione assumed was an Auror, and began to speak in hushed tones. She came back, minutes later, to where Hermione was healing and consoling a young girl.

"Miss Granger, a word?" She asked, and Hermione nodded before giving the girl a smile and standing.

"Yes?" She asked, glancing around the room.

"They will be taking the most severe cases first, immediately." She said, and at that moment, Aurors began to apparate away with the injured. "Severus will be one of the last, since we have healed him already. Just focus on everyone else." The witch said, and Hermione nodded in understanding before going back to the girl she had been healing. Her mind ran wild as she walked from person to person. Snape wasn't evil, he had helped them more than anyone knew. Voldemort was gone. They were safe- mostly. She didn't have to run anymore. Snape almost died. Harry had won. He had almost died in the process, but he had most certainly won in the end. It was all over. Seven years they had been fighting this together, and now it was over. She felt exhaustion settling in, but she cast an energizing charm and continued to work. Hours passed before all of the injured were gone, Aurors were walking around, taking statements, they wanted this to be settled quickly. Hermione was sat at a table speaking with one by the name of Rogers when her charm began to wane. Her eyelids drooped, she began to yawn frequently. And when he was done taking her extremely detailed statement, though he had insisted on being done, she made sure he knew all the details including that Snape was innocent, she set her head on the table and fell asleep.

She awoke in St. Mungo's. She was startled awake from a nightmare, multiple really, and she sat bolt upright in the bed, covered in sweat. She then realized that she was screaming, and in a panic, she frantically looked for her wand.

A witch rushed into her room, and stopped short when she saw who inhabited the room.

"My wand! Where is my wand?!" Hermione cried out, tears pouring down her cheeks in frustration.

"Miss please. Your family has it in their possession." The mediwitch said.

"Family?" Hermione asked, her mind racing she finally calmed when she realized. "The Weasleys?" She asked, and the woman nodded. Hermione stood and the mediwitch hurried to her side.

"Miss are you alright?" She asked, as Hermione made her way to the noticeably clean clothes sitting on the chair next to her bed. She nodded, giving the witch a small smile.

"Thank you." She said. "But I was just exhausted." She said, and the witch nodded.

"You weren't the only one." She said, and Hermione looked at her quizzically. The mediwitch gestured for her to follow, and she led her through a hallway and to a set of double doors. She glanced back, making sure Hermione was still there, before opening them. She was greeted with quite a sight, and large room, filled with sleeping people, all of whom she recognized from the battle that had just transpired.

"Why was I not in here with them?" She asked, she didn't want any special treatment.

"We were worried that you might have gotten some of the snake venom in your system. Bright thinking there, sucking it out. If you hadn't, that mad would have died." She told Hermione, before turning and leaving the room. Hermione looked around the room, taking note of the faces she saw. Then it hit her, so many had died. So many people that she had grown up with, learned with, people that she loved. Tonks, Lupin, Fred, Sirius, and countless others. Some, she only recognized, she didn't know their names, but all of their faces were running through her mind and she could physically feel her heart aching for those that gave their lives. She clutched her chest as a dry sob escaped her mouth, and the fled the room, in search of somewhere she could be alone.

That was how she came to be found in the toilet. It was the first place she had stumbled upon, the first place that made sense to go. She had ran into a stall and dry heaved into the toilet for what seemed like forever, nothing exiting her stomach. She had then collapsed against the wall, and curled her knees to her chest and tried to catch her breath. She heard the door open and close, but didn't think anything of it until someone touched her shoulder. Molly Weasley. She caught sight of the woman and began to sob in earnest.

"I'm so sorry Molly…." She cried. She cried for Fred, she cried that her family had been caught in this, and she cried in relief that it was over.

"Shhh…. It's over dear. It's okay." Molly murmured, stroking the young girl's hair until she was finally calm.

"I'm so sorry Molly…." She said again, before she realized, why was she here? "Molly.. why are you here? Did someone get hurt?" She asked, and Molly nodded slightly.

"Bill got a charming cut on his arm. Greyback again, seems though he will have more scars to match the ones he got before." She said, her voice low in anger for what had happened to her son. "But don't you worry about that dear. Let's get you up." She said, gently peeling Hermione off of the floor and giving her a proper hug. "Now, let's go see where everyone has gone, okay?" She asked, and Hermione nodded her head numbly, following the witch out of the toilet and into the hall.


	2. Chapter 2

She followed Molly into a room that held two beds, one of which was occupied by Bill, the other was empty at the moment. The Weasleys were all around the room, Ginny and Ron were both asleep in chairs, while the rest were standing around the room, talking quietly. They all looked up, apart from Ginny and Ron, and smiled at Hermione. She gave them all a small smile in return, and made her way to a corner of the room, where Harry joined her.

"Hey Hermione." He said softly, pulling her into a tight hug. For the first time in a long time, Hermione felt herself relax in his arms.

A week later, Bill was finally released from St. Mungo's and was back home at the Burrow, where it was agreed by Fleur that he would be well taken care of. Hermione's mind continued to wander to St. Mungo's though, and she felt the need to go there.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked, staring at Hermione, who was walking toward the door.

"St. Mungo's." She answered, still walking toward the door.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, and she paused when she heard the concern in his voice.

"Yeah Harry, I'm alright. I just want to go see how everyone is." She said, and he nodded in understanding. "I'll be back before you know it." She said, looking back at him and smiling before leaving the house. She walked past the wards that still surrounded the house, they didn't want anything to happen if they lowered their guards, and apparated to St. Mungo's. She entered the building, and made her way up to the ward that held the survivors of the battle. She found herself wandering aimlessly, occasionally stopping to say hello to one person or another. She stopped her walk abruptly when she reached Severus Snape's room. She saw the name on the door, and before she could register her actions, she had opened the door and entered the room.

He was so still, that for a moment she was back in the Shrieking Shack trying to find his heartbeat. She walked to the side of his bed and stared down at him, he had hair covering his face, and without thinking, she brushed it away from his face gently. She sucked in a breath as she saw his neck, the scar was purple and raised. She sat down heavily in the chair next to her old professor, and began to speak.

"So Bill was hurt, but he's back home now. The Ministry is quickly rebuilding, they made Kingsley the minister. They already started trials, yours is actually already finished. Harry and I testified for you, as did a few others, and you have been cleared of all charges. McGonagall is the Headmaster now, well there's going to be a vote, but we all know she's going to get it. Oh, I just remembered, Pomfrey wanted me to-" And she was cut off by a loud sigh. She had been looking at the wall across from her, but now her eyes darted back to Snape.

"Will you please be quiet." He said roughly, and she gasped.

"I'm sorry sir." She said. "I had no idea you were awake." She said, biting her lip in guilt.

"I wasn't, you woke me." He said, sneering at her, and she felt thought about leaving the room, but she decided to stay put, she didn't much feel like getting up at the moment.

"Sorry Professor." She mumbled, and they fell into silence. She caught sight of a copy of the Daily Prophet, and reached over to grab it. She sat, reading the paper, until a nurse came in with a plate of food for the injured man. She sat the paper down and went to leave, but instead she decided to ask a question that had been on her mind since she had entered the room.

"Professor, will you be going back to Hogwarts?" She asked him, just as he was about to take a bit of his food. He glared at her before letting out a sigh and setting his fork down.

"Not that it is any of your business." He drawled, shaking his head. "But if the headmistress will allow it, then yes, I am hoping to go back to teaching in the fall." He said, and Hermione nodded before turning the handle of his door and leaving him to his food.

** **-August-** **

She had been thinking a lot about her future. She didn't want to be a student anymore, but she wasn't sure what she wanted to do as a career yet either. She spent a lot of her time reading, not sure what else to do.

She was having lunch one afternoon with Hagrid in Diagon Alley when he said something that sparked her interest.

"You could always find a Master and become an apprentice." Hagrid said, they had been discussing what Hermione was going to do.

"An apprentice?" She asked slowly, the idea had never occurred to her before. "You really think I should become a master?" She asked, and Hagrid nodded.

"Of course, there's nothing that our Hermione can't do." He said, giving her a bright smile. She spent the rest of lunch thinking about this proposed plan.

When she got back to the Burrow, she decided to look up Masters. She knew that she had a book about them somewhere, and she also knew that the book was enchanted to have a list of the current listed Masters. She flipped straight to this said list as soon as she had found the book, and began to read the names. Quite a few of them had taught at Hogwarts, though now there was only a few still teaching. That's when she saw his name. Severus Snape. She snapped the book closed and shut her eyes tightly. He was certainly an accomplished Master, and she knew that he could teach her, as he had the entire time she was attending Hogwarts. She had always loved potions, and she knew that if she studied under a professor, she might be able to become one herself.

Dinner was ready, and it took Harry a couple tries to get Hermione's attention to tell her that. She set the book down on the arm of the couch, and Harry peered over at the title.

"Thinking of becoming a Master?" He asked jokingly, but he stilled when she nodded. "Really? I thought that maybe you would go to the academy with Ron and I…" He trailed off, they all three had gotten acceptance letters into the Auror academy, and Harry had apparently assumed that she would be going.

"I… I can't Harry. Iv'e had enough of hunting down dark wizards." She said, and he nodded slowly.

"Fair enough. Come on, let's go get dinner." He said, and they walked into the kitchen together. Hermione was thinking silently all through dinner, mulling over if she should really ask to become an apprentice.

The next morning, before visiting hours even started, she found herself in the room of Severus Snape once more, but it wasn't his anymore. The beds were made and empty, he had been released. She left the room, and ran into McGonagall. Literally.

"Oh goodness. Miss Granger, are you quite alright?" She asked, steadying Hermione so she didn't fall.

"Oh yes Professor. I'm sorry, I was distracted, Snape was released, I had come to talk with him." She said. "But seems as though he is not here, I suppose I should go." She said, she went to walk away, but the older woman stopped her.

"You were here to speak with Severus? Whatever about Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked, giving Hermione a curious look.

"Well… I was going to ask if he would be willing to take on an apprentice." Hermione whispered, not feeling confident anymore about her decision.

"An apprentice? You? Well I think it's a brilliant idea." The older woman said, and for the first time since the battle, Hermione let a genuine smile grace her face.

"I'm glad you think so. Professor, will he be returning to teaching?" Hermione asked her, and she nodded.

"Yes, he will be taking the Potions Master role again Miss Granger." McGonagall said. "Seeing as the term is beginning in less than a month, I think I will take the liberty in speaking to Severus for you, and I'm sure he will have a reply for you soon enough." She said.

"Thank you so much, I should head back now, I didn't tell anyone I was leaving this morning, I wouldn't want them to worry." Hermione said, feeling elated that she might have something to look forward to soon.

"Of course Miss Granger." She said, and Hermione turned to walk toward the exit. "Oh and Miss Granger?" She heard behind her, and she turned to face the Headmistress once more. "I look forward to working with you." She said, giving the girl a smile.

Hermione was sitting for lunch at the Burrow when the meaning of McGonagall's words hit her. If Snape agreed to make her his apprentice, she would also be considered an employee at Hogwarts. Just how would she break the news to Harry and Ron?

It was early the next morning, while she was nursing a steaming cup of coffee, that an elegant black owl came with a scroll tied to its leg. Hermione, being the only one awake at the moment, grabbed the parchment and fed the owl a couple treats before she sat back down with the paper. She glanced at the name on it, and almost spewed coffee when she realized it had her surname on it. With shaking fingers, she broke the wax seal holding it together and unrolled it.

_Miss Granger,_

_It was brought to my attention by Minerva that you are interested in becoming my apprentice. I am prepared to accept you as an apprentice, but know that it will be hard work. You will be helping to teach my classes and grade coursework alongside doing research and experiments on your own time. You must also agree to do as I request as my apprentice. I expect the upmost perfection out of you if you are indeed wanting to become my apprentice. Though I will be teaching you, I expect you to practice potioneering on your own. You must also be willing to request assistance when needed, I will refuse to continue to teach you if you insist on being proud. If you decide to follow all of this, send a reply with the owl I sent with an acceptable time and place to meet in Diagon Alley so we can make it official and get you the supplies you will require._

_Potions Master First Class,_

_Severus Snape_

She read it over three times before setting the parchment down and returning to her coffee. She would glance up at the regal owl, still sitting on the window sill, trying to articulate her thoughts before writing a reply. She heard stirring above her, hinting that someone was rising, before she finally grabbed a quill and parchment of her own.

_Professor Snape,_

_I acknowledge and accept your terms to become your apprentice. Thank you very much for accepting me as your apprentice, as for meeting, if you have no objections I will be at the Leakey Cauldron tomorrow at noon and we can do everything required tomorrow. I look forward to working with and for you sir._

_Hermione Granger_

She rolled the parchment up and tied it to the owls leg, which he had stuck out as soon as she had finished it. She watched the owl fly off into the morning sunrise just as Ron and Harry entered the kitchen. She took a deep breath and turned to them, knowing that she now had to tell her two best friends of her plans for the next year.


	3. Chapter 3

She was early to the Leaky Cauldron, she was upset with Ron and Harry, and didn't want to be in the same house as them at the moment. She had told them that morning after breakfast what she would be doing instead of auror training. It was safe to say that they did not take her news very well.

Ron had gone a deep red color all over his face and neck, and had started yelling incoherently. Harry had stared at her for a moment before plainly walking out of the room. Hermione had let Ron yell himself hoarse, not saying a word. She had looked at him, one eyebrow raised, and he had turned away and walked the same way Harry had. She knew where they had gone, and had given them a good five minutes before she went to them.

She had found them where she thought she would, next to the broom cupboard. This is where they both went when they were upset, especially when they were upset with Hermione. She had walked up to them, and interrupted their whispering.

"You should both be ashamed of yourselves. I have been next to you for over seven years. You should be happy for me." She said, before turning on her heel and walking away from them. That was why she was now sitting alone, in a dark corner of the pub nursing a steaming cup of tea. She was fidgeting nervously, speaking of a prospective job with her former potions master had not been her plan if you had asked her just a few weeks ago what she would be doing.

She blew on her tea, attempting to cool it some before she began to drink. She was also thinking, an apprenticeship typically lasted around five years, or longer if the master deemed in necessary. Five years of living with Snape, as that what was usually expected of apprentices. On the plus side of this, it also meant five years of shadowing a teacher, since that is most likely what she would end up doing after her apprenticeship was complete. As she contemplated her decision and her near future, she missed seeing Snape standing a few feet away, watching her.

* * *

He was tired, and completely unsure why he had agreed to this whole ordeal, having Granger as his apprentice would surely be the death of him. He let out an angry sigh, and pushed his wet hair out of his face. It had been raining for the past week, why had he not thought of grabbing his umbrella? Or better yet, he knew that he could have just apparated to the closest point near the Leakey Cauldron, yet he had chosen to walk from his home to the place they had agreed to meet.

He pushed his dripping hair once more out of his face before glancing around to make sure nobody was watching him, a habit he had developed over the last seventeen years of being a spy. He took a deep breath before pushing the creaky wooden door open and stepping inside the pub that was only lit by the fireplace opposite the bar. Luckily for him, the fire was roaring and after only a cursory glance around, he had noticed the bushy haired girl he had come to meet. He deftly made his way across the room and stopped short of her table when he realized that she had not yet noticed him.

He took a moment to look over her, she looked worn down, though he supposed that being on the run and in hiding for a year would do that to a person. It was obvious that she had lost weight, not that she hadn't been slender before, but now she looked almost sickly. He watched her as she blew on her tea, she hadn't been waiting long then, as it was still too hot for her to drink it. He cleared his throat gently, and was startled when her head snapped up, and suddenly her wand was in her hand, and pointed at him.

* * *

"Oh I'm so sorry professor." She said as she realized who had made the noise. She hastily shoved her wand back into her pocket and glanced around the pub, making sure that nobody had noticed what had just transpired. "I'm so sorry, I have been so on edge lately. Please, sit." She said, gesturing to the seat across from where she was. As she watched him sit, she couldn't help but notice that he had an almost apprehensive look on his face.

"Good afternoon Miss Granger." He said, and Hermione bit back a smile, his voice was actually… silky, when he wasn't using it to be harsh to his students. She nodded slightly to him, taking her tea back into her hands.

"Thank you for meeting with me Professor. As you already know what its about, why don't we skip the formalities and get down to details?" She asked, thinking that this would be the best course of action.

She did not miss the split second that the professor across from her looked surprised. He pulled his wand out and with a slight wave, a small stack of papers were sitting in front of each of them.

"Very well. Our contract, as you can see, is quite standard. You will work with me and assist me on what I am working on. As I am a teacher, you will also assist me in the classroom. On top of this, you will research and brew a potion every week of your choosing. Turning in your results to me along with a short essay on its uses. If the potion you choose needs more than a week to mature, I simply require a sample of it at the end of the week. Our lab will be cleaned thoroughly every other Sunday, unless it is further warranted. Furthermore, I will require that you research and by the end of your apprenticeship, you will turn in a potion that you have either made adjustments to, to make it better, or fabricate a whole new potion that gives you the results you will look for." Hermione nodded as he spoke, all of this was things that she had expected as part of an apprenticeship. She flipped through the pages of the contract, and he waited for her to speak. She came across one that made her pause. She would live at Hogwarts while the school year was in session, and when the professors moved back to the castle. And outside of the school year, she would stay at Spinner's end, with the man sitting across from her. She knew this was normal, but she couldn't help but think that Harry and Ron, and maybe a few other people, would be upset about this part of her contract.

She continued to flip through the pages, pausing every now and then to read a different stipulation. When she was finished flipping through the pages, she summoned a quill and signed her name on a line on the last page, she flipped the stack of papers around to the man sitting across from her, and she watched him as he hunched down slightly and signed his name.

He looked tired, she noted. Her gaze slipped from his face down to his neck, which was covered even now by the same kind of robes he wore during school, the ones that buttoned all the way up his neck. Even so, she caught a glimpse of the purple scar on his neck peeking over the black cloth.

She sucked in a small breath, the action making her old professor glance up at her. She met his gaze for only a moment before looking down at her teacup, and noticing that it was no longer steaming, picking it up and taking a long gulp.

It was only a little while longer, when they were walking out of the pub, when he turned to her.

"As school starts soon, I would think you should move to the castle at your earliest convenience. Your quarters will be down in the dungeons, near the potions lab. Just come down to my office when you get there, and I will show you the way to your chambers." He said, though his face was the ever stoic mask, she thought maybe he sounded slightly embarrassed to be talking about her chambers.

"Thank you sir." She said. "I will gather my things tonight and head for the castle tomorrow as soon as I can." She said, and he nodded. He turned away from her, and suddenly she felt the need to say something else.

"Sir?" She asked, and He turned his head back to face her, one eyebrow faced. "Thank you very much." She said, and he nodded once before turning once more. She watched his cloak billow behind him as he walked swiftly away from her, and she couldn't bring herself to look away until he had rounded a corner. She herself turned on the spot, and apparated away.

She stumbled a little when she landed, and looked up at where she was, the newly reconstructed Burrow loomed over her, casting a long shadow on the ground. She took a deep breath, knowing that now she was going to have to explain herself to her two best friends.

She made her way inside, and made her way up to the room that she currently shared with Ginny, though more often then not, she would come downstairs so that her screams didn't wake Ginny. She had been having nightmares all summer, and thought she could cast a silencing charm, Ginny always took it down, saying she would rather know when Hermione needed her. She opened the door and looked around at the room. It was different after they had rebuilt the house, the room was bigger, and Ginny had more quidditch on the walls now instead of wizarding bands. Hermione went over to the cot she slept on and pulled her trunk out from under it. She flipped it open and started placing what few things she had in the room into the trunk. Just as she was finishing up, the door opened, and she turned to see Harry. He looked around the room, confused.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" He asked, staring at her.

"Packing." She said simply, waving her wand, closing the trunk and turning to look at Harry.

"Why?" He asked, and she sat down on the cot with a sigh.

"Harry… he accepted me as his apprentice. We signed the contract today." She told him, and he nodded slightly.

"Figured that you would." He said, and she smiled slightly at him. "But that doesn't explain why you are packing." He said, and she looked down.

"Harry…" She looked up at him, and he looked back at her, expectantly. "Part of the contract is I have to live there, at the castle." She said, and she held her breath as she watched him realize what she had just said.


	4. Chapter 4

"Are you serious Hermione?" Harry asked, staring at her in shock.

"Yes, I have to stay with him, to work more productively. And I will be helping with the class as well." She said. Harry walked further into the room and sat down at the desk chair.

"Hermione.." He ran his hand through his hair, and Hermione had to bite back a smile, thinking of how it only made his hair messier. "We just got used to being back here… I thought you were going to go back to school?" He said. Hermione sighed and sat down.

"I was, If this didn't work out, I was. But now, I can get a head start on my career Harry. You and Ron weren't going back anyway." She pointed out.

"Ginny will be there." Harry stated, and Hermione let out a sigh.

"Yes Harry, but that's not the same, is it?" She said, taking a seat on the edge of Ginny's bed.

"I suppose not." He replied. "Well we will still see you during hols and weekends, yeah?" Hermione looked down, unsure how to answer him.

"I'm not sure Harry, this sounds like it will be a fulltime job." She said. "And during holiday.. well…" She paused, she had hoped that this wouldn't come up, as she still wasn't sure about it.

"Well what?" Came a voice from the door, and Hermione then saw that Ron was leaning against the doorway, arms crossed in front of him. Hermione sighed once more, this was not going to be easy.

"Well I won't be staying at the castle during hols." She said, and Harry eyed her suspiciously.

"Where will you be staying Hermione?" He asked slowly.

"Well I'm sure I can come stay here for Christmas, and other holidays if I'm not working." She said, trying to stay optimistic about their reactions.

"Do you mean to say.." Harry said carefully, "that you will be staying somewhere else you will be able to work?" Harry asked, and she nodded.

"Where exactly?" Harry asked bluntly, and Hermione suspected that he was tired of dancing around what she hadn't said.

"Well erm…" She glanced at both of them, tucking her lip into her teeth.

"Just say it Hermione." Ron said, sounding exasperated.

"At his house." Hermione said quickly, and she watched as Ron's arms fell to his side and his mouth fell open.

"You can't." He said immediately, and Hermione bristled.

"Oh, I _can't_, can I? Really? Have you ever heard of a master and apprentice contract Ronald? Its very standard so it doesn't take decades for the apprentice to become a master themselves. Would you rather me spend decades working with him? You have absolutely _no_ right to tell me what I can and can't do. Neither of you do actually. So, I will be moving into the castle tomorrow, and neither of you can convince me otherwise." She said heatedly, glaring at both of them.

Ron scowled at her for a moment before turning on his heel and walking up the stairs. She turned her angry gaze to Harry, who was staring at her blankly from the chair he was sitting in. He opened his mouth, closed it, then just stared at her for another moment.

"I'm not sure what to say Hermione." He finally said, and she sighed.

"Well, I have a job, and its at Hogwarts, so maybe say 'congratulations'?" She said, giving him a small smile. He nodded and returned the smile, though it was a weak attempt.

"Congratulations Hermione." He then stood and gave her a small nod before exiting the room, leaving her alone.

She sat on the bed, her chin in her hands, looking at her trunk as she thought. This was the right decision, she was sure of it.

The next morning was difficult. Molly made her a goodbye breakfast, and was extremely tearful the entire meal. Ginny seemed to be the only one still in good spirits, as she would be going back to Hogwarts and would see Hermione every day. Harry and Ron were mostly silent, until she had brought her trunk down the stairs, where they both gave her hugs and told her that if she had any problems with Snape, they would deal with it.

Hermione finally made it out of the house and into the cool air of the England morning, she took a deep breath before walking past the wards that had been placed around the house. Once she passed them, she looked back and smiled, The Burrow was a second home to her, but now she would be going back to her real home, Hogwarts. Wand in hand, she closed her eyes and spun on her heel, thinking of the apparition point to get to the school, right outside of it's gates to enter Hogsmeade. She opened her eyes and was rewarded with the view of large, ornate gates in front of her.

It only just occurred to her that she hadn't arranged for anyone to be here to let her in, now her only hope was that the wards had been adjusted to where she could enter. She stood nervously for a moment before gathering her Gryffindor courage and reaching out her hand to touch the gates. When her fingertips met the cold metal, the side of the gate she had touched swung open slowly, allowing her entrance. Of course McGonagall had changed the wards, that woman was on top of everything.

Hermione took a deep breath and walked past the gates, and continued to walk up the pathway to the castle. She was getting more and more nervous as she got closer to where she would be working, and when she reached the large oaken doors, she realized her hands were shaking. She took a deep, calming breath, then proceeded to open the door in front of her.


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione opened the doors to find herself inside the castle that she had gone to school in for six years previously. She took a deep breath in, taking in the damp, old air of Hogwarts. She felt her hands stop shaking, the smell and familiarity of the castle calming her some. She closed the large doors beside her and turned to her left. She began the descent into the dungeons of the castle, where her quarters and the lab she would be working in were. She shivered slightly, although it was August, the castle was still chilly the further down she went.

She wasn't paying full attention in front of her, just letting her feet lead her to where she had attended Potions lessons for six year. She knew from the Christmas party that Slughorn had thrown that the Potions Master's office was close to the classroom, and she could only assume that the chambers she would be in were in the same vicinity. As she walked down the corridor, she failed to notice Severus Snape standing in the hallway looking down at his gold watch.

"I- I'm so sorry Professor. I wasn't looking at where I was going." Hermione said as she stopped short of running into him, her trunk fell to the ground next to her.

"Obviously." He drawled, staring down at her. She swallowed and picked up her trunk from the ground. "Your rooms are here." He said, gesturing to the door in front of him. She nodded and he pointed to another doorway next to hers.

"That is the lab, I expect to see you there tomorrow morning no later that eight." He said, she wasn't able to get anything out of her mouth before he turned on his heel and began to walk away. She watched him walk down the hall, his robes billowing behind him. She turned back to her own door and set a hand on the knob. With a soft turn, the door opened slowly and she was greeted with warmth radiating toward her. With a step inside the room, she was pleasantly surprised to see it was a small well-lit room with a fire blazing on one wall.

She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, locking the heat in the room. She walked to the four poster bed that sat against a wall and placed her trunk at the foot of it. She sat down and let out a big breath, thinking about how she had left the Burrow just a little while ago. She had a feeling that Harry and Ron would remain upset with her for a good while, taking into account all the times over the years that they had fought. They both had a nasty habit of giving the cold shoulder when they were upset. She shook her head and looked around the room, her eyes landing on a small desk in one corner of the room.

She stood and walked over to the desk, which she noticed had a large bundle and a smaller trunk sitting on it. She lightly ran her fingers on the trunk and jumped when it popped open. She leaned forward a little and touched the contents lightly with one finger. The small trunk was filled with vials. Some of them, she noted, were full of various ingredients for potioneering. Others were empty and unlabeled, surely just waiting for her to begin her work. She smiled and turned to the package next to the trunk, it was tied together with a single string of twine that she tugged and the paper holding it together fell open, revealing cloth. She picked up the cloth and held it in front of her. Her mouth fell open in shock when she realized that what she held were brand new apprentice robes, adorned with symbols stitched into the fabric that she would just have to translate later. She walked over to a door that she hoped was the closet, and was pleased when she was correct and was able to hang up her new robes. She was about to walk past the desk when she noticed that there was still a couple things laying on the paper wrappings. She picked up gloves, recognizing them as dragonhide immediately. She placed them back on the desk and picked up a folded piece of parchment that had been under the gloves.

_Miss Granger,_

_I'm pleased that you are going to be here at the school under Professor Snape. You will be a fine addition to this school. You have had an account at Gringotts set up in your name by Professor Snape, I am sure that he has spoken to you about your payment. I took the liberty and bought a list of everything Severus said you would need, If you find yourself needing anything else, please come see me._

_Regards,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

Hermione set the letter down and walked back to her own trunk that held her belongings. She kicked it open and pushed aside some casual robes and other things before she got to what she was looking for. She pulled the thick volume out of the trunk and ran her hand over the cover, her fingers tracing the engraved letters of the title. Her copy of Potion Brewing for Apprentices was barely touched, she just hadn't felt the motivation to start reading it yet. She supposed there was no time like the present, as she sat down at her desk and opened the book.  
Hands stained with ink from jotting down notes, and parchment covering her desk, she was startled when she heard a knock on her door. It took her a few moments to realize where the sound came from, and when she threw open the door, she was greeted with a bowing house-elf.

"Erm, hello." She said, staring at the small elf in front of her, whose nose was almost touching the ground.

"Missy is here to tells miss Hermione miss that dinner is ready in the Great Hall for all staffs." The small elf said, and Hermione tilted her head slightly, staring at the small creature.

"Missy, you don't need to bow to me. Please, stand straight." She said, leaning down and touching the elf's shoulder gently. The elf shuddered and looked up at Hermione, who was shocked to see that Missy looked outright terrified of her. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" Hermione asked, and Missy shook her head vigorously.

"No Miss. Missy just has heard many stories of how miss gives clothes to elves. Missy doesn't want clothes." The elf said quickly, bowing deeply. Hermione closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh.

"Missy I won't give you clothes." She said, and the elf looked back up at her, now with a large smile adorning her face. Hermione forced a smile and nodded.

"Miss must comes with Missy, she will show young Miss to the Greats Hall." She said, reaching out to grab Hermione's hand. Hermione shrunk back away from the elf, who looked hurt.

"Erm, I know the way, thank you so much. I think I'll just wash up and find my own way." Hermione said, receiving a nod and another smaller bow from the elf.

"As you would likes Miss." She said, snapping her fingers and disappearing. Hermione turned back to her door and stepped into her room, closing it softly and leaning her back against the hard wood. She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. It was stupid to pull away from the elf, but ever since the battle at Hogwarts, she avoided touching anyone except the Weasleys and Harry, her family. After the battle had ended, the first time her, Harry and Ron had dared to venture outside, so many people had shook their hands, given them hugs. Ron had adored the attention, it made Harry uncomfortable, but Hermione had been overcome by panic and had apparated away, sobbing and shaking, to Grimmauld place. It had taken the boys a good hour to figure out where she was, and by the time they had, she had completely warded herself in Buckbeak's old room.

Hermione pushed herself off the door and walked into her washroom. She turned on the water to the sink and pushed her hands underneath the cold stream. She quickly washed her hands and tossed on a set of robes before exiting the room and making her way up to the Great Hall. She was happy to see Neville sitting at a table, she knew that he was starting his apprenticeship with Professor Sprout this year as well.

"Hi Neville." She said happily, and he dropped his fork.

"Hermione?" He asked, shocked.

"Er yes?" She asked him, confused.

"What're you doing here?" He asked her, and she smiled at him.

"Well same as you I suppose." She stated, shrugging her shoulders, his eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"Your Sprout's apprentice too?" He asked, she laughed softly and shook her head.

"No, I'm apprenticing for Snape." She said, and the bite he had just put in his mouth apparently became lodged in his throat as he began to choke. Hermione quickly pulled her wand out of her robes and with a wave of her wand, Neville took in a deep, clear breath as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Sorry, did you say Snape?" He wheezed, and she nodded. He shook his head and gazed at her with amazement.

"What?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. She expected him to react similarly to how Harry and Ron had reacted.

"I'm just surprised is all. Really if I think about it, it makes sense. You always had top marks in potions." He said, nodding. Hermione smiled at him and turned her attention to her meal.

The rest of dinner passed with little conversation between them, though they had both stood and welcomed Bill Weasley, who had agreed to become the new Defense Professor since he had stopped working for Gringotts. After they had finished their meal, Hermione had said goodbye to Neville and made her way back down to her quarters. When she rounded the last corner to enter her room, she saw Snape exit his, and she was shocked to see that he had shed his robes, he was now just wearing slacks and a long sleeve shirt buttoned to his throat. He gave her a curt nod as he walked past her, and she gave him a subtle nod in return. She reached her door and looked back to see him turn the corner, no robes following behind him this time. She blinked and shook her head, she really needed to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Sleep had not come easy to her. She had woken with a headache and bags under her eyes. She took a pepper up potion, something that she now just had on hand. The potion immediately erased her headache, but it did nothing for the dark circles that stayed steady under her eyes. She sighed and looked at herself in the mirror as she pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail. She glanced at her watch, it was only six. She pulled in her robes and decided to go find some breakfast. She made it to the Great Hall and was greeted with the smell of bacon, eggs, and toast. She smiled, noticing that Neville was sitting in the same seat that he had occupied last night at dinner.

"Good morning Neville." She said, sitting across from him and putting some eggs and toast on her plate, not feeling up to eating a full meal.

"Good morning Hermione." Neville replied brightly, offering her some tea, which she accepted gratefully. They sat in silence for a while, Hermione enjoying the silent company that Neville offered.

"So did you just get here yesterday?" Neville asked after Hermione finished her first cup of tea and as she pouring herself a second. She glanced up at him and nodded. "So today is your first day really working with Snape?" He asked.

"Professor Snape, and yes." She said, and he nodded.

"I got here about two weeks ago myself, Sprout said that she needed all the help she could get replanting the greenhouses before school started again." Neville said, and Hermione nodded with understanding. Neville had always excelled at Herbology, and after he had gotten his own wand, his spellcasting had greatly improved. Hermione thought about this fact for a moment, and decided that one day, Neville would make an excellent Herbology Professor. "Are you nervous?" Neville asked her quietly, and they met gazes, both of them surely thinking about how much Professor Snape had bullied them over the years.

"Oddly enough, not very, no." Hermione said after a moment, and Neville smiled.

"Of course not. You're one of three people who ever stood up to the man. You aren't scared of anything." Neville said, shaking his head.

Hermione looked down at her plate, wishing that he was right. She shook the thought out of her head and struck up conversation about how the regrowth was going. After a while, she checked her watch and realized it was half past seven, and she quickly downed the rest of her tea before standing and cutting Neville off.

"I'm sorry Neville, but I really must be going or I'll be late on my first day." She said, and he nodded quickly in understanding.

"Bye Hermione!" He called out as she walked quickly from the Great Hall.

She went straight back to her quarters, traded her casual robes for her Apprentice ones, grabbed her new gloves and picked up the small trunk that held the vials and a couple notebooks and quills that she had placed there last night. She took a deep breath and exited her room, going straight to the next room. This room, unlike her living quarters, was cold, as there were no potions being brewed. She was sure that when they began working, that the room would heat up to an almost uncomfortable temperature, and the air would become so thick that it might become hard to breath. She set down her trunk on an empty work table, and looked around the room. Professor Snape wasn't here yet, and she took the free moment to pull out her copy of Potion Brewing for Apprentices and continue her reading. She had gotten so absorbed in the book, making a few notes here and there, that she had failed to notice the Potions Master enter the room.

* * *

He had woken early that morning, and had requested his breakfast be given to him in his rooms by a house elf. He had spent the first hours of the morning reading, Severus Snape was of the opinion that if a Master didn't continually learn and keep up with new practices, they were as useless as the day they first became Apprentices. It was an idea that had been instilled in him by none other than Minerva McGonagall, whom he held the upmost respect for even if she was the head of Gryffindor. That was what brought him to be late himself to his lab, though, he supposed, the Master could really arrive at any time they wanted, as long as the Apprentice was on time. He had only attempted to take on one other apprentice in his entire time being a master, and the experiment had failed about a week in. The boy had wanted to be lazy, and refused to try to learn on his own. Severus had kicked him out of the castle without a second thought, and had refused every other inquiry until now. He had thought that Hermione Granger would try for Defense Against the Dark Arts, or maybe even become an Auror with Potter and Weasley. He had been surprised when Minerva had come to him with the news that she wanted to become his apprentice. After some thought, he decided that it wasn't the worst idea, though she would have much more strict outlines than his last apprentice.

He entered the lab, expecting to find a flustered young woman apologizing, that's what he was prepared for. What he hadn't been prepared for, was seeing Hermione Granger sitting on the floor of his lab, book in her lap, a quill tip in between her teeth. He stared at her for a moment, knowing that the moment she heard the door snap shut, she would be made aware of his presence. She pulled the quill from her mouth, wiping her lip absentmindedly with one hand as she made a quick note on a page of what looked to be a half full notebook. The weight of the door he was holding open finally got the best of him, and it escaped his grasp and closed with a loud snap. He watched in amusement as Granger jumped up, drawing her wand without a thought. Her eyes grew wide and she hastily shoved her wand in the pocket of her robes as she realized who it was that had entered the room.

"I'm so sorry Professor." She stammered out, hastily picking up her book, notebook, and quill from the floor. "It was just..."

"A reasonable reaction." He said, and she nodded, a blush creeping up onto her cheeks. Severus dragged his eyes from the woman- no, the girl, standing in front of him, and walked over to his desk. He sat down in his chair and gestured for her to sit in the one opposite from him. She quickly placed her things on the trunk he had requested McGonagall give her and sat down in the chair. He looked at a couple papers on his desk, ideas on what to do today. He sighed and placed the papers down before staring at her. He waited for her to fidget, which took a good five minutes, until he spoke again.

"There is no need for you to call me 'Professor' any longer, as I am no longer your professor." He said, and he continued to speak before she could ask the question she had opened her mouth to ask. "You may refer to me as 'sir'. Now, as it is Friday, we will be brewing Dreamless Sleep potion. Many teachers and students will be needing it as terms starts back up again, and I have told Madame Pomfrey that I would have some ready for her. I will not require an essay on the uses of this potion, but this will be the _only_ exception." He stated, and he watched as she nodded her head. He led the way to a row of cauldrons and gestured for her to pick one. She walked to a large pewter one and set down her trunk, clicking it open and grabbing the supplies she would need. Of course she would know how to brew this by memory, he thought, and he mentally kicked himself. This was Hermione Granger and he expected that she, more than many others, would need this potion on a regular basis. He walked to his own favorite cauldron, and waved his wand, summoning the ingredients that he would need.

"While we work, I would like if you told me what you are going to research as your project for your Master Board." He stated, referencing the Board of Masters that would decide whether an Apprentice has earned the title to become one of their peers.

* * *

She was surprised, but not unprepared for the request. She took a moment to sort out her ingredients for the potion she would be brewing before giving her answer. She glanced over at Snape, who was already beginning his potion. She filled her cauldron with water, the base for the potion, then lit the flame under the pewter before opening her mouth to answer.

"Given everything that has happened, with... Voldemort." She paused and glanced at the Potions Master, who stilled for only a moment when she said the name, before continuing. "I want to make an adjustment to a healing potion. I was thinking of using Essence of Dittany in it..." She trailed off thoughtfully as she added ingredients to the water in front of her. "Anyway, I want to make some sort of salve. We have plenty to heal cuts and such, but none to heal scars. I've researched it, people have attempted it, and they have gotten close, but I really think that I could figure it out. And if I can, I'm hoping that somehow I can make it to where it might heal cursed scars. Given everything that's happened, with this war... It would help so many people. Bill Weasley, Harry, Ron... Arthur Weasley." She added, avoiding saying either hers or her master's name. She could see him considering the idea as he stirred the concoction in from of him. She turned back to her own beginnings of the potion she had become so familiar with.

"It has merit." He said after a long moment. "It will take a lot of work. And you will need something, to test on. Well, someone I suppose." He corrected, and she nodded.

"I already have a test subject." She said carefully, not wanting to mention that she was going to be testing it on herself. He nodded with approval, and stood to come peer over her shoulder at her potion, which was a emerald green color.

"Stir it slower, make it one rotation every three seconds." He said, and she adjusted how she was stirring to meet his suggestion. "I look forward to seeing what you make out of your experiment." He added, subtly giving his approval for her idea, and she let a small smile creep onto her face when he turned to go back to his own cauldron. Hermione was pleased to note that her potion was now a light lavender color, the final product only being a few shades darker. She pulled her spoon out of the liquid to let it boil for a bit as she pulled out her book, intending to continue her reading.

* * *

He was pleased with their work, his apprentice had brewed the potion perfectly, and now dozens of small, newly labeled, vials of the deep purple potion were sitting on his desk, ready to be taken to the hospital wing. He had excused his apprentice, saying that he didn't trust anyone else to take them without dropping them all and wasting the batch. Really, after they had finished he had looked closer at the girl, she had deep purple circles under her eyes, and he pretended not to notice that she had nicked a vial from his desk. He sent her away with the hope that in the morning, when he requested she be here at eight again, that she would be better rested than she appeared today.

He gathered the potions up in a crate, wincing a bit as the vials clinked together. They really were perfectly brewed, and it would be a waste if they broke now. He sighed, thankful that none broke as he picked it up in his arms. They would need to brew more, but this was a decent beginning to what he was sure would be needed at the start of term.


	7. Chapter 7

Just over two weeks had passed since she had come to Hogwarts, and tomorrow was the first of September. Hermione's nerves were shot, she was nervous to have so many people in the castle. Working with Snape had been helping her, she was getting used to having people around, but she was still nervous as to how she would react with hundreds of students filling the castle. At the moment, she was sitting alone in the lab, a potion bubbling behind her and the start of her essay for the week sitting in front of her. She knew that working in the classroom would take up a lot of time, and getting her essays done would be difficult.

At the moment she was concocting Burn-healing paste at the request of her master. He claimed that the number of first years that burned themselves warranted having some in the classroom, it was a waste of time to send them to the hospital wing over and over just because of some minor burns. She finished her essay just before the potion finished stewing, she rolled up the piece of parchment and sealed it, leaving it on Snape's desk. She was just bottling up the finished concoction when he walked into the lab, she sudden disturbance startled her, and she gasped as she dropped two vials that she had been holding her hand. Right before they hit the floor, they stopped and bobbed, slowly making their way onto the desk the rest of the full vials sat on. Her hands went to her mouth and she looked at Severus Snape with wide eyes.

"Do be careful." He said simply, walking past her and picking up one of the vials. He held it close to his face, examining the paste. He opened it and put some on his finger. After a moment, he corked the bottle again and set it down, nodding with satisfaction as he did so. He glanced at his apprentice, who was smiling and gathering her things together. "Have you studied the lesson plans for this week?" He asked her, and he saw her nod from the corner of his eye.

"Yes sir, I've already written up any notes I might need, and I brewed a sample of each potion this last weekend." She said, and he looked up from his desk in surprise.

"You brewed each one on Saturday?" He asked, knowing that they had spent Sunday cleaning the lab. She nodded and looked slightly scared. He nodded and looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. She closed her trunk and he quickly turned away. "Well I'm sure you needed the practice, as those... friends of yours were far too distracting in school. I wouldn't be surprised if you had needed a couple tries getting it right." He said, letting his voice revert to the one he reserved for his students.

She opened her mouth to argue, but closed it when she realized that she just didn't have the heart to argue with him. She continued to pack her things away in silence. She picked up her trunk and walked to the door before turning to her master.

"Are we meeting in the morning again sir?" She asked, and he stood straight, his back facing her.

"We will meet in the classroom, we will sort out the ingredients the students will need for the rest of the week, and lock away the rest of them. We don't need anyone accidentally poisoning the class by throwing in an improper ingredient." He said, and she could hear the sneer on his voice.

"Yes sir." She said softly, and left the room, leaving him alone in it.

Up until that moment, Hermione had thought that Snape, her master, had been treating her with respect. She should have known better, six years of being Snape's student should have warned her as to how this would work. She set her trunk down on her desk and sat in her chair, putting her face in her hands. Maybe writing Harry might help her feel better, it would certainly help to hear from him. She pulled a piece of parchment, ink, and a quill toward her. Dipping the quill in the ink, she began to write.

_Harry,_

_How are you? I've been working hard here, we have to get everything ready for day after tomorrow when classes start. It does make things a little difficult that classes starts on a Wednesday. It's not entirely convenient. Did you know that Neville is here as well? He's taking on an apprenticeship under Professor Sprout, he's going to do an amazing job, I'm sure of it._   
_Tell me, how is training going? I haven't heard anything from you since we left. I haven't heard from anyone actually, is everything alright? It's going to be so nice to be able to see Ginny again, I'm really looking forward to catching up with her, I'm sure she's bursting to get back to Quidditch. I heard that she is Captain! Which is predictable. Anyway, I should really get back to working, I'll watch for your owl._   
_Love,_   
_Hermione_

After she took the letter up to the Owlery, Hermione decided to skip dinner and just stay in her room for the night. She was almost all the way through her book, and she had already filled two notebooks with notes and revisions. She had actually found a couple potions that would be able to help with her Cursed Scar Salve, and she had started one notebook just for that. She was hopeful that she would be able to make it work, but she knew that it was too soon to begin work on it. Right now she would focus on the theory of it alone.

* * *

He had finished reading and making notes on his apprentice's essay for that week, and decided that he would go give it to her and have her write it again. She had missed a few points of the essay, and he wanted her to rewrite it. He walked to her door and knocked, it took a moment, but eventually she opened the door slowly, looking annoyed.

"What do you- Oh. Sorry sir." She said, opening the door a little wider, and gesturing for him to come in. He walked swiftly passed her and into the room. He glanced around, and noted the stacks of books that surrounded the room. He raised an eyebrow and turned back to Hermione, who had just closed the door and walked over to her desk. She shuffled some papers, apparently trying to tidy up. "What can I do for you sir?" She asked him as she fixed up her desk.

"Well, I just read your.. essay." He said, glancing down at the paper in his hand. "You missed a few things, I'm giving you back the original, and want a revised essay on my desk by Saturday morning." He said, setting the paper on her desk. He looked at her, attempting to gauge her reaction, but she was only watching him. He ticked an eyebrow up and held eye contact with her, waiting for her to react in some way to his statement. When she didn't, he began to feel a little uncomfortable. He finally broke eye contact and stared at a pile of books instead, his feet seemingly stuck in place.

* * *

She couldn't help it, her eyes were just stuck on him. Again, like the first day she had been at the castle, he wasn't wearing his usual robes. He was in slacks and the same kind of buttoned up the throat shirt he normally did. She couldn't draw her eyes away from his slender frame, and she wondered what he had been like before this war. He was thin now, even sickly looking. She wondered how he had been before he became a death eater. He broke eye contact with her, and she shook her head, wondering why in the world that thought had entered her mind.

"Did you need anything else sir?" She asked softly, and he quickly turned to face her once more. He stared at her for a moment with an unreadable expression on his face, and shook his head curtly.

"That is all." He said, turning and walking out of the room. Hermione watched him, wondering what exactly had come over her just a few moments ago. Hermione looked down at the essay he had returned to her, and sighed. She had been so distracted lately, knowing that school was starting, and that things would become much more difficult when it would. She pulled a new piece of parchment toward her and dipped her quill in the ink before she started rewriting her paper.

She had a large book open on her desk, the second finished essay was rolled and sealed, her fingers were stained with ink, and she was asleep. She had intended to rest her eyes for just a moment, but after a few minutes her chin had slipped out of her palm and she had rested on the pages of her book. And for the first time in months, she slept a dreamless sleep without the aid of a potion.

She woke with a start, crumpling a blank piece of paper that she had been holding her hand. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and peered at her watch, it was five till eight. She jumped out of the chair, she had to meet Snape in the classroom in five minutes. She rushed about, brushing her teeth and hair viciously. She threw on her robes and grabbed her finished essay. On her way to the classroom, she stopped by the lab and set her essay down on her master's desk. She failed to notice a potion brewing in one of the cauldrons, and left before she could. She ran to the classroom and threw open the door.

"I'm so sorry sir." She said immediately, and Snape turned to look at her, his eyebrows raised.

"Miss Granger, what are you sorry for?" He asked, and she glanced at her watch, it was just ticking to eight.

"N-nothing sir. I'm just... erm sorry I slammed the door." She said lamely, a deep blush entering her cheeks at the poor excuse.

"If you are done stammering apologies, the sixth years are brewing Amortentia tomorrow. If you would, please gather all the materials they will need and put them on the third shelf in the class cupboard." He said, she nodded in response and stopped herself from reacting to the fact he had actually asked her by saying please. She quickly made her way over to the ingredients closet and began gathering ingredients in her arms, being careful to not damage any of the vials or ingredients themselves. Fifteen minutes later, she had the third shelf fully stocked, plenty of ingredients for the beginner N.E.W.T. class and a little extra, leaving room for minor mistakes. Once she finished with the task, she moved on to stocking the other ingredients the classes would require for the potions Snape had planned for the week. Snape was busy locking up the ingredients the students wouldn't need, and his personal stores with charms and wards. It took them until late afternoon to get everything ready for the upcoming classes through the next week, and when Snape finally excused Hermione for the day, she realized she was starving.

She sighed as she plopped down in her usual seat next to Neville, and he smiled sympathetically at her. He poured her a cup of tea, knowing that was her preferred drink with her meals. She smiled at him gratefully, taking a sip and closing her eyes as the hot liquid ran down her throat.

"You okay Hermione?" Neville asked, looking at her with concern. She set down her cup and looked up at the enchanted ceiling, it had always been her favorite thing about this school, aside from the classes of course.

"School starts back up tomorrow." She said simply, and he nodded. "It's a little..." She trailed off, not sure of the proper word to use.

"It's overwhelming." Neville said simply, and Hermione nodded in agreement. "Yeah... And after the war... I have nightmares all the time." Neville said in a low voice, and Hermione stared at him. She didn't talk about her nightmares, about how she saw Bellatrix smiling manically with a knife when she closed her eyes to sleep. She had made it a habit to cast silencing charms before she fell asleep, knowing that she might wake up with a sore throat because she would scream in her sleep.

"We have dreamless sleep in the Hospital wing." She said casually, turning her attention to the stew sitting in front of her. Neville nodded and turned his own attention to his food.

"Writing about them helps." He said simply, and Hermione's hand stilled halfway to her mouth. That's not something she had thought of before, writing down her nightmares. She had read about dream journals, she knew that Harry and Ron had been required to write one each for Divination, but she hadn't thought about using one for her nightmares before. She put her spoon down in her bowl and picked up her tea, thinking about what Neville said. He smiled at her and finished his meal. She worked on her food slowly, thinking deeply.

"If you ever need to talk, I'm here Hermione." He said, giving her a smile as he stood from the table.

"Thanks Neville." She said, giving him a smile in return.


	8. Chapter 8

It really was a different way to spend her first of September, helping Snape get the classroom together, eating a late lunch with Neville, and now just waiting for Snape to collect her for the welcome feast. She and Neville would be sitting at the Head Table with their Masters, as they were officially a part of the staff. It really was pure chance that Hermione and Neville were each apprenticing under a Head of House that didn't belong to Gryffindor, as McGonagall, at the last staff meeting before classes began, had said that she wanted to promote unity and comradery in the various houses. She had made it a point to emphasize that Hermione and Neville would act as influences, impacting the way students acted toward each other by looking at how the Master and Apprentice interact.

Hermione had decided, after her late lunch that day, to go back to her room and sleep a little, sleeping on her desk the night before had made her sore. She made sure to set a charm on her door that would make her aware of any visitors for when Snape came to collect her. She hit the pillow, and fell asleep quickly and without another thought.

The stone floor underneath her was cold, and she might have been thinking about that if her head hadn't been throbbing. She wasn't sure how many times the woman had thrown the Cruciatus at her, but she could tell she had hit her head on the marble floor too many times to count. When there was finally a reprieve in the curses, she forced her eyes open, hopeful that it would stop. Sunbursts overtook her vision, and she blinked hard a few times until they cleared, though dizziness still threatened to engulf her. Just when she thought it might be over, the smiling face of that wretched woman was looming over her, and Hermione forced herself not to gag at the stench of her breath as it assaulted her nostrils. The woman brought a knife up close to Hermione's face, brushing the blade gently against her cheek.

"What else did you take?" She hissed, and Hermione couldn't choke back the sob that escaped her throat in place of words. She felt the cold metal of the knife press against her throat, and for a moment, the thought of death seemed blissful.

"What else, girl?" The woman screeched, apparently starting to lose her patience.

"Nothing! We didn't take anything!" Hermione choked out, tears pouring out of her eyes, whether from fear or pain, it didn't matter. She just wanted it to stop.

"The sword is from my vault you stupid girl! Tell me!" She bellowed, and Hermione felt blood starting to run down the side of her throat where the knife was being held.

"I swear, we didn't take anything!" Hermione said as loud as she could without moving her neck too much.

"LIAR!" Bellatrix screamed, and this time Hermione couldn't help the gag. The woman snarled and stared at Hermione as she spoke to someone else in the room. "Get the goblin." She said, seemingly and suddenly calm. Hermione fought the sigh of relief that yearned to be released, instead let out very slow breath as the knife left her throat. She didn't think about the fact that one of her palms was now caught under a knee or that Bellatrix had shifted her body to be positioned over her arm. What she couldn't fight was the scream that ripped through her throat as the knife penetrated deep into the skin on her forearm. Bellatrix was surely cutting her arm off, she thought, but then the pain came from lower down her arm, eliciting another scream.

* * *

The screams reached his ears as he reached her door, making him freeze. Suddenly, he was back in Draco's memory. He had asked his godson if he could see what happened before his trial. It was his main defense, that he hadn't turned over the Golden Trio when they had quite literally fallen into his lap. Snape had received special permission to view the memory, and he had immediately wished that he hadn't asked. He had seen what Bellatrix had done to the girl, because of the action he had taken getting the sword to them in the woods. Thankfully, the screams cut out after only a moment, and Severus Snape could feel the breath rushing back into his lungs. He hadn't realized that he had shut his eyes, and as he peeled them back open, the door in front of him swung open. His apprentice stood in front of him, her eyes wide and wild-looking, almost like a deer. She had clearly been asleep, he thought as he took in her appearance. He could see the panic slowly recede from her eyes, replaced with fear, and he could only assume it was fear of him. He cleared his throat and turned around, to where she couldn't see his face. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing down the pain he felt for the girl.

"Miss Granger, please get your robes and hat, the Sorting is going to start in fifteen minutes." He said, and he heard her breath a sigh of relief from behind him.

"Yes sir." She said, and he was slightly surprised to hear her voice was steady and clear, not the voice of someone who had just awoken themselves by screaming. He waited at her door for no more than five minutes when she exited once more, looking wide awake and calm, dressed in her apprentice robes and a witches hat that she would presumably only wear for feasts. She looked surprised for only a moment that he had waited, but remained silent as he began to walk. She matched his stride, even though he was at least a foot taller than her, and he quickly realized that he didn't mind her walking next to him. Had it been anyone else, besides Minerva of course, he would have glared at them and made it clear they were unwelcome. But with Hermione, no- Miss Granger, he was more or less content to walk next to her in silence.

* * *

She was embarrassed, beyond embarrassed. How could she have been so stupid to forget the silencing charm? She mentally kicked herself, she knew that she had screamed, her throat felt as though she had just swallowed scalding tea, and she was sure that he had heard it. It had taken her but only a moment to realize the alarm on her door was ringing, and when she had thrown the door open in a panic, expecting the deceased Bellatrix to be on the other side, she had been greeted with a very much alive Severus Snape who looked as though he had just seen an unwelcome ghost.

She was so grateful that he had turned away from her, allowing her to keep a shred of her dignity, and that he hadn't said anything, as of yet, about the incident. Hermione absentmindedly rubbed her left forearm, where the puckered scar spelling out the word 'Mudblood' decorated her arm. She found it slightly humorous that she had a scar exclaiming her dirty blood status in almost the exact place that the blood-purist Death Eaters wore their Dark Marks. She removed her hand from her arm, not wanting to catch any attention from Snape, and not relishing the thought of having to explain herself to him if he caught her in the act.

When they finally entered the Great Hall, Hermione was pleased when Severus sat three seats down from Professor Sprout, allowing her to take the seat directly next to Neville. She gave him a weak smile as she sat, and he gave her a look of concern in return. Hermione shook her head slightly, telling him without words that she didn't want to talk about it. He nodded and poured her a cup of tea, and she was suddenly extremely happy that she chose to sit with Neville at every meal. He offered a friendly comfort that she hadn't realized she craved without the constant presence of Harry and Ron.

"Miss Granger, may I have a word?" Came an all to familiar voice from behind her, Hermione immediately stood and turned to face the Headmistress.

"Of course." She said, giving McGonagall a smile. She took a few steps away from the table, and Hermione followed her.

"I was curious if you would be willing to assist me with the Sorting Ceremony?" She asked, gazing at Hermione intently. Her mouth fell open in surprise, and the headmistress gave her an amused smile.

"You want me to help you?" Hermione repeated back to her, and the Headmistress nodded. "Why?" She asked bluntly, and McGonagall's lips formed a very thin line for just a moment before she answered.

"I would think, Miss Granger, that if you are hoping to become a Professor at this institution, you would like to take on the responsibility one day." She answered, and Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat before nodding. "Excellent. Just follow me, and when I address the first years, stand at my side. When we are performing the ceremony, you will place the hat on their heads. Is that clear?" She asked, and Hermione nodded in understanding.

"I should just tell-" She began, but the Headmistress cut her off mid-sentence.

"Severus has already agreed that you will be the best one for the job." She said. "One day." She added with a smile, making it clear that she wasn't ready as of yet to give it up.

Severus watched her with amusement, though he was careful to not let it show on his face. His apprentice was assisting Minerva with the sorting ceremony, and he watched as with every name that was called up to the stool, she would give them an encouraging smile and place the Sorting Hat on their head, her hands shaking with nerves the entire time. As the sorting finished and she gathered up the hat and stool in her arms, he watched Neville pour some more tea in her cup. He caught the young man's eye, and he was surprised when Longbottom held his gaze evenly until Severus nodded. He then dropped his own cup that he had been holding, which shattered on the table. Severus let out a sigh and waved his hand, vanishing the mess. Longbottom then kept his eyes glued to the table in front of him until his apprentice returned to her seat. She thanked Longbottom quietly for the tea while Minerva was making her speech to the school, and the boy nodded silently, careful to not break his concentration on the table.

Severus then turned his attention to Minerva, who was finishing her speech, and the students that sat at the long tables that ran the Great Hall. He looked over the crowed and noted that there were less students this year than any other year he had taught. Some students looked scared, others sad, and more still looked simply apprehensive to be inside the castle, as they all surely knew what had transpired here just a few months ago. It was miraculous really, how quickly the Professors had been able to repair the castle, though there were parts that were sealed off until further notice, still damaged, but not integral to the structural integrity of the building itself. There was no hiding or sealing off however, of the sudden influx of ghosts that Hogwarts now housed. Many students that had been casualties of war had apparently chosen to stay here at the castle, and even now a smattering of them were sitting at the tables in the Great Hall, making idle chit chat as the students ate their fill of the food in front of them. Thankfully, by the time McGonagall rose from her seat to announce that it was time for bed, many of the students who had looked fearful before now looked relaxed and almost happy as the rich food settled in their stomachs.


	9. Chapter 9

If Hermione considered how she had been feeling helping with the sorting ceremony the night before to be nervous, now she must say she was feeling absolutely hysterical. This was it, today was the day that she would be working with her former professor in the actual classroom, and she couldn't stop the shaking in her hands or her fast breathing as she left her room, intending to go eat some breakfast. If being friends with Harry, Ron, or Ginny all these years had taught her anything, it was if you were nervous about something, a bit of breakfast would help immensely. This wasn't quidditch though, and it wasn't an exam... this was the start of her career.

Her mood brightened some as she saw that Neville was sitting at the head table, in the same seat as the night before and looking just as nervous as she was sure she did. The Great Hall was teeming with students, though classes didn't commence for another hour. She gave him a curt nod, and he made her some tea as she made herself some breakfast. Neville ate, while Hermione stared at her plate, not trusting her stomach to actually hold anything down. She felt a nudge, and she looked at Neville. He gave her a pointed look and pointed with his fork at her plate, she shook her head and tried to swallow the lump that had taken residence in her throat.

"At least have some tea." He persisted, pushing her cup toward her. She stared at the cup for a moment before nodding, it seemed sensible to at least have something to calm her nerves. She took a sip of the tea and, as the warm liquid rushed down her throat, an instantaneous calm set over her. She hadn't thought much of it before, but it hit her now that only when Neville made her tea she felt this calm. She peered at him, and after a moment he seemed to feel she was staring at him and slowly turned to face her.

"Neville... what's in this?" She asked, gesturing to the brown liquid, and she was suspicious to see that he looked guilty.

"Erm… I've taken to making my tea with a hint of Calming Draught in it... It seems most days that you need one too." He said. She gazed at him, her eyebrows raised, before taking another sip.

"How much?" She asked, and he looked at the pot of tea in front of him before answering.

"Just a drop in the pot." He said, and she nodded.*

"Neville?" She said, and he looked at her again. "Thank you, but next time tell me?" She asked, and he nodded while grinning at her. She shook her head, pleasantly surprised with her friend, he really was clever. They finished their breakfast a little while later, and Hermione couldn't help but note that her master had never shown up for breakfast, unless he had come very early that morning.

"Are you ready?" Neville asked, as they stood together and began to make their way out of the crowded hall, and Hermione bit her lip for a moment.

"I really don't know." She said, brushing the front of her apprentice robes even though she knew they held no wrinkles. "Are you?" She asked, as they came to a pause, reaching where they would have to part ways. Neville scuffed the ground with his shoe, Hermione couldn't help but still see the clumsy eleven year old boy she had helped on the Hogwarts Express, and Hermione smiled.

"I suppose." He said after a moment. "This just... well it feels right. Know what I mean?" He asked, and she nodded. It had taken a week or so to realize that this was really something she loved doing, brewing potions, and she wouldn't mind doing it for the rest of her life. In fact, she rather thought it was quite therapeutic. Hermione noticed some students exit the Great Hall holding timetables, and smiled at Neville.

"Good luck. See you at dinner?" She said, and he nodded happily before turning away and exiting the castle, surely making his way to the greenhouses. She herself made her way down to the dungeons, wanting to be ready in the classroom by the time the bell rang. She entered the room, and closed the door softly behind her.

"Miss Granger." Said the familiar silky voice of Severus Snape, though she jumped, turning to face the voice, her wand straight out. She hadn't seen him sitting behind his desk, and she let out an irritated breath.

"You're sitting here in the dark." She said angrily, waving her wand to light the sconces that ran the walls of the classroom. She glared at him, upset that he had startled her.

"And?" He replied, raising an eyebrow at her, and she let out a small huff.

"Why?" She prompted.

"Why is it any of your business?" He sneered, and as she turned away from him to prepare the classroom as they had talked about, she rolled her eyes.

"I suppose it's not, but if I'm going to be walking into a dark room that I assume is empty..." She trailed off, not sure where she had been going with her thought.

"I'm sorry for aiming my wand at you." She said simply after a moment, she looked back and could have swore that she saw a hint of a smile on his face.

"I assure you, worse things have happened." He said, and she turned her attention back to the cupboard in front of her, triple checking that they had enough ingredients for the first years' class. Just as she finished her mental tally of everything she needed to do, the bell rang. They could hear someone pull the handle, and Hermione glanced at her master, who was watching her.

* * *

He watched as she looked first at the door that some first year was trying to force open, then at him. He raised an eyebrow at her and gestured at the door. She sucked in a deep breath before walking to the door. She opened it and stepped outside, closing it once more behind her. He heard her muffled voice through the oak speaking to the students.

"This door will stay shut until you lot all quiet down. That's how it will be every day, so I suggest you arrive quiet and prepared. Now, does everyone have their books? What about quills and parchment?" He heard her say, and he let out a sigh, she was much more patient and kinder than he would have been. "Alright, well you two make sure to share a desk until he gets a book, and please do get one as soon a possible. It was on your list."

"I left it at home miss." Came a small voice, and Severus held back a snort.

"Well then write home and have them send it. I'm sure you or someone in your dorm has an owl. Now everyone in and choose a desk, four to a desk." He heard her clarify before she opened the door, holding it so the small first years could enter. They all sat down, muttering and whispering to each other. As the last student entered, he watched his apprentice close the door and walk to a corner at the front of the classroom.

"I am Professor Snape, the Potions Master." He introduced himself.

"Wait, she's not our teacher?" One boy asked in a whisper, and Snape eyed him.

"No. Miss Granger is my apprentice, but if you do not treat her with as much respect as any other professor, you will not pass this class." He said, and was satisfied to see that some of the students looked terrified. "There will be no silly wand-waving in my classroom. As there is no wand-waving here, many of you will not believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."** Snape said quietly, capturing the attention of the students with ease.

He strode over to the chalkboard at the front of the classroom and tapped it, a list of ingredients and instructions appearing in the careful script of his apprentice. He set them the same potion he gave every year to the first years, a fairly simple potion that, if brewed properly, would cure boils. He nodded to his apprentice, and they both descended onto the students, although she was much more tentative and nicer to the students. He watched her more than he watched the students, and almost didn't catch a small girl in front of him almost putting in too many of one ingredient. He caught her wrist, and slowly moved it to the side.

"If you wish to blow up your potion, then please proceed, but read the instructions carefully girl." He said, raising an eyebrow. He failed to notice the tears that formed in her eyes as he walked away. A moment later, his eyes swept through the fog that had settled in the room in search of his apprentice, and saw that she was kneeling next to the girl he had just spoken to. He made to walk to her, but paused. She was speaking quietly with the girl, pointing at the board before nodding. He watched with shock as she stood the girl up and hovered her cauldron carefully in front of her, placing it at a table at the front of the room with only three students. He watched as she spoke to the girl again before nodding and leaving her to walk around the classroom again.

At the end of the class, after they had cleared the classroom of the fog, Snape cleared his throat. She turned to him, looking worried.

"_Why_, Miss Granger, did you move that silly girl in the _middle_ of my class?" He asked, his voice dripping with venom.

"She couldn't see the board sir. A boy broke her glasses on the train, and she didn't know what spell to use to fix them, she's a muggle born sir. I told her the spell and moved her to the front of the class because the Gryffindors she was sitting with weren't being any help. I was trusting that your house, out of fear or not, might help her." She explained, he suddenly felt foolish, he should have realized the girl couldn't see the board, she had been squinting at it since they started class.

"Did she say why she didn't pull out her book?" He asked, and his apprentice nodded, her curls that had escaped her bun bouncing slightly.

"She really needs her glasses sir, poor girl is nearly blind without them. I suggested she speak to Madame Pomfrey, see if she can help at all." She said, and he was shocked at her compassion. He only cleared the board of the chalk as a response.

Classes passed without another incident until the sixth year's class. He noticed that his apprentice was staring at the cauldron he had moved to the front of the room, recognizing it as one of the ones from their lab.

"Sir," She asked, "aren't the sixth years brewing Am-" But the bell cut her off, and she went to the door, her hand on the handle as she took a deep breath. As the day had worn on, Snape had noticed that the classes had become smaller and smaller, and he knew that this one, along with the seventh year's class, would be the smallest of them all. Casualties of war. All day, he had gone without thinking about it, but in this moment, he joined his apprentice in taking a deep breath in preparation for who they would see. He heard the door open and his eyes sprang open. He watched as the older students filed in, looking apprehensive. Ten. Ten students was all that entered his class, the last four being Gryffindors. One stopped walking as he saw Snape, and he looked disgusted.

"I'm not going to be in this class if _he's_ the teacher." He said haughtily, turning to Granger. Snape was startled when a lump lodged itself in his throat, his eyes flicked to his apprentice, at a loss as to how to respond. She looked livid. She let the door close on it's own, almost slamming, and almost the entirety of the class jumped at the sound. She made her way to the front of the class and glared out at them. He watched her, enthralled at the sudden emotion she was showing.

"Now, you lot all sit down. _Now_." She emphasized, eyeing the still-standing Gryffindor, who reluctantly took a seat under her eyeful watch. "Professor Snape is teaching. I know you lot have your own versions of what happened the last couple of years, I know you have heard stories. But they are wrong. He doesn't owe you an explanation, but do you really think that Kingsley, the minister for magic mind you, would allow him to even be here and not in Azkaban if any of those stories were true?" She asked, looking at all of the students, who remained quiet. Snape thought humorously about how this would make a fine welcome back to class speech for the rest of the classes. He fought the smirk that was struggling to find a place on his face, and remained as stoic as ever. "Now, if Professor Snape- Sorry, _Potions Master_ Snape- doesn't reach your expectations, I assure you I have no problem with speaking to the Headmistress and dropping you from the class before tomorrow. If you want to, _leave_, the door isn't locked." She said, pointing at the door with a steady hand. Severus looked away from her and out toward his class, they all looked more terrified than his first year class that morning had. After a moment, he walked up to the cauldron, taking the lid off with a flourish.

"As you all are still seated, let's begin the lesson." He said. "Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. Can anyone tell me why?" He asked, and stared around the room at the blank faces that sat in front of him. He sighed and turned back to his Apprentice, she had a curious expression on her face, halfway between horror and realization.

"Miss Granger?" He prompted, and at her name, whispers spread through the room.

"Oh, yes sir?" She said, her eyes moving to his. His eyebrows pressed together for a moment, concerned, before he repeated his question for her.

"Oh, yes sir. Amortentia is dangerous because it doesn't actually create love, just a very strong obsession. Given this, Ministry officials regulate the use and test couples for the use of it before they get married. Tom Riddle was conceived under the influence of Amortentia, and many believe that is why he could never feel love. As it is, prolonged use of Amortenia can cause insanity, there is a special ward for it in St. Mungo's." She recited, and he nodded in satisfaction.

* * *

Hermione stared at the potion in shock as her master continued to tell the class about its properties and what would become of them if they had the idiocy to attempt to use it. She inhaled deeply, and tried to pick out the different smells that entered her nose. Her Sixth year the potion had smelled of freshly mown grass, parchment, and peppermint toothpaste, scents that she had deduced to belong to Ronald Weasley. But now, only two years later, the scent of the potion had changed. She glanced around quickly before taking another deep breath. Parchment... Books... Fire... the toothpaste smell was present still... and potions? She glared at the potion itself, it couldn't smell like potions. Yet it did, it smelled quite like the ingredients cupboard that she had spent half the day in yesterday. She shook her head, it couldn't be right, she was only thinking that she was smelling that, it was only because she was in this classroom. And yet, a voice in the back of her mind whispered, it didn't smell like that two years ago when you were in this classroom. She shook herself and forced herself to listen to what Snape was saying.

"Please don't blow yourselves, or my classroom, up. Your ingredients are in the cupboard, the instructions on the board and in your texts. Miss Granger and I will be among you to make sure you don't kill anyone or attempt to steal any." He said, and with a wave of his hand, the cupboard doors opened and there was a moment of silence. "Begin." He said, pointing to the cupboard, and all ten of the students rose out of their seats and moved to gather their ingredients.

Hermione stepped forward off of the platform her master's desk sat on, and walked toward the cauldrons the students would be using. She glanced back at her master, and was jarred to realize he was staring at the potion in front of him, his usually stoic face betraying that he was confused. His gaze flicked up and they locked eyes for only a fraction of a moment before his featured slid into their usual unreadable expression. She turned away and continued to walk among the students that were lighting the fires under their cauldrons and adding ingredients on between staring at their books. Hermione was pleased when the Gryffindor student from earlier, she was fairly certain his name was Layton Brown, little brother of Lavender, made a mistake just as she was standing behind him. His potion began to bubble viciously, turning a deep blood red color instead of the pink it should be.

"Brown, is it?" She asked, and he nodded, looking up at her. "Well Brown, read the third line of those instructions, out loud if you please." She said, and he pulled the book toward him and read them aloud, turning to her with a look of horror on his face. She raised her eyebrows and looked pointedly at him. "Now, where did you go wrong?" She asked, trying her best to emulate Snape.

"I skipped that step..." He said softly.

"I didn't hear that." She said, and he cleared his throat.

"I skipped adding the drop of rose petal oil." He said, and she nodded. He reached for the oil, and she snatched his wrist.

"If you add it now, it will ruin it even more. Vanish this mess and start again." She said, and he opened his mouth, outraged.

"You can't be serious!" He yelled, standing. At that moment, the Professor moved to stand next to the student and his apprentice, who were standing toe to toe.

"I am serious. The only way you will get full marks is if you restart." She said calmly.

"What is this?" Her master asked, and she stared pointedly at the student in front of her.

"I missed the rose petal oil, and she says I have to restart!" The student said, clearly upset. Snape looked down at the potion then back up at the student.

"And you think that is unnecessary?" Snape asked, and the student nodded. "Very well, add the oil. By all means." He snatched the oil off of the table and offered it to the student, who sneered at her and added the drops. Hermione sighed as the potion turned black. Brown's face fell, his smirk sliding off of his face in only a moment. "Would you drink that?" Snape asked, and Brown stared at him before shaking his head. "No? Well... Ten points from Gryffindor. And from now on, if my Apprentice tells you that you should do something, listen. She earned top marks on every assignment when she was my student." He said, making his way around the room once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *= Reviewer zauberbsb. katze (No space, it just wouldn't let me post as it was) on FFN actually gave me the idea for Neville slipping her something, and I liked it, so I rolled with it. THANK YOU!
> 
> **= This was almost directly pulled from the original speech he made to Hermione's first year class, with just a couple adjustments. I like the idea that Snape would use the same speech every year to welcome the first years.


	10. Chapter 10

That first week classes flew by without incident, excluding the first day of course. Hermione had been grateful that the first week had given her a couple days to work on her apprenticeship duties. The second week however, had left Hermione lagging behind on her essay. She had woken early on Saturday at the end of the second week, intending on writing a little in her dream journal before getting to work to write her essay. Her nightmares had come back full force, and she had taken Neville's advice on writing in a journal. It helped her a bit, to write down everything, as she wasn't ready to talk anyone about her dreams.

She had written in her dream journal that morning before stuffing it in her bag next to her research journal and books. She then went up to breakfast, beating Neville there. She ate quickly, and was leaving just as her new friend was entering the Great Hall. He took pause and waved slightly when he saw her, and she responded with a hurried smile as she whisked past him and on her way down to the lab. Luckily, the potion still had to simmer for another hour, and she pulled out a piece of parchment, intending to write up an essay, though she knew it wouldn't be the best quality that she had turned in. This had been her third try with this particular potion, the first couple of tries she had let it stew too long and had accidentally not put enough pure water in as the base of the potion. This was her last chance to get it right, and she had three sets of potions books next to her to ensure that she did. Unfortunately, she was so focused on the potion, that her essay had slipped her mind, and she had just started on it when Snape entered the lab. He raised his eyebrows at the sight of his flustered apprentice, and she felt tears prick at her eyes.

"I'm so sorry professor, I just need a bit longer and the essay will be done." She said, and he picked up the parchment she had been writing on. His eyes flicked back to her before setting the essay to the side.

"Miss Granger.." He started, and she bit her lip, surely he was going to tell her that she was obviously wrong for the job, that she should pack her things and leave.

"Take today to rest." He said, and her mouth fell open.

"Sir?" She asked, unsure is she had heard him correctly. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, and she noted that he looked more tired now than he had when they had met at the Leaky over the summer. "Sir, I can stay and finish this, it's really not a problem." She said, attempting to pull the essay closer to her, dipping her quill in her ink. His hand smacked down on the paper, and she looked up at his face.

"Miss Granger. When was the last time you actually had enjoyable human contact?" He asked her, she opened her mouth to respond, but he continued to speak. "I am under no illusions that you wish to be like me, bat of the castle, living out your days in a dungeon and listening as simpering children call you names under their breath. Or am I mistaken?" Her face screwed up to show her frustration, and he shook his head. "Don't contradict me. Now, I believe that you happen to keep journals with notes, and I believe that will suffice as an essay this week. Now hand it over and go enjoy the sunshine." He said, holding his hand out. She reluctantly shoved her hand in her bag as she stood and tossed it over her shoulder. She pulled out a journal and set it in his waiting hand before walking to the door. She paused, her hand on the doorknob. She turned to look at her master, his back was facing her and his normally straight back had hunched over slightly. She bit her cheek and left the lab, stopping briefly at her room to set down her bag. She once more exited her room, thinking that a visit to the greenhouses might be nice.

* * *

Severus Snape was tired, he had been unable to sleep, and when he did attempt the feat, nightmares plagued his vision. He had attempted to use dreamless sleep, but unluckily for him he seemed to have built up an annoyingly high tolerance for it over the last nineteen years or so that he had been having regular nightmares. He had come to the lab to take his mind off of everything, to maybe try to heighten the potency of the potion it was now useless for him to take. He had not taken into account that his apprentice would also be in the lab. He had quickly dismissed her, wanting to be alone. As soon as she left the room, his body sagged and he placed both hands on the desk in front of him. He let out a raking breath, his head falling and his hair moving to form a curtain in front of his face.

His nightmares, he reminisced, used to be of possible ways the ward could end. They stared with the Death Eaters losing, Muggles taking over the world. After he had heard the prophecy, his nightmares became about Lily dying. Lily being tortured, murdered. Years later his nightmares became much more diverse, him being tortured, Dumbledore turning on him, him being killed. His nightmares now consisted of all of his memories playing spy for Dumbledore and Voldemort. He clenched his fists, fighting the emotions that wanted to take him over. He cleared his throat and pushed himself off of the desk, using one hand to push his hair out of his face. He pulled a leather thong out of his robes and tied his hair back, a habit he had broken not long after he had finished school. With his hair finally out of the way, he took a deep breath and walked to his desk, his Apprentice's notebook held tightly in one hand. He took a seat, sighing at the cushions that pressed against his back. He closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the small comfort that he allowed himself, before opening up the journal.

Severus quickly realized that this was anything but a research journal, just within the first few lines he realized that the particular notebook she had handed him was, in fact, documentation of her nightmares. The same nightmares, it seems, that had made her scream out in terror the night of the welcome feast. He snapped the book shut, horrified. Surely she had given him the wrong book, he shouldn't be reading this. He rubbed his face with one hand, he glanced once more at the notebook, the pages that had been written on separated from the others a bit in a way that was familiar, and he was shocked to see that the notebook was almost full, though the date of the first entry had only been the day after school had begun, not even two weeks later and she had almost filled an entire notebook. He felt a dull ache in his chest, most like the one that had lodged itself there when he had overheard the prophesy all those years ago. It was pain, not quite on the physical level, it was more of pain for his apprentice, empathy for her. He rubbed a hand on his chest, willing the feeling to go away.

He set the book aside, and walked over to a cauldron. He pulled out all the ingredients for a dreamless sleep, and began to brew. He worked mindlessly, only really paying attention to tweak the potion here and there to make it stronger, but not so strong that it would be possible to become a draught of living death. He stared at the wall across from him, the wall that the lab shared with his apprentice's room. He wondered if she had realized what she had done, though he doubted it. She would come barging into the room as soon as she realized. As he finished up the potion, his attention was drawn back to the journal, he couldn't stop thinking about the few lines he had seen. He bottled up the dark potion, casting a few diagnostic spells of his own invention to test if it would work. Satisfied, he placed the potions in a cupboard, intending to test one that night. Now, without the numbing actions of brewing, his thoughts were consumed by the journal that lay on his desk, it called for him to read it. He thought about the merits of reading the journal, what would it do for him if he read it? He thought to himself, reaching up and pulling his hair tight.

* * *

Hermione had been correct, of course, that the greenhouses would be beneficial. Neville had introduced her to their new area in Greenhouse Five that housed water plants, as the merpeople in the lake had become reluctant to let them harvest from their waters. He showed her how he had begun to grow gillyweed,, and had shown her the other greenhouses that he had helped repair. When lunch rolled around, Hermione insisted that they have a picnic by the lake. The rest of the day had passed pleasantly fast as Neville showed her more and more plants and he let her help him transplant some of the specimens. Hermione loved learning more about the plants that she used so much in her brewing, and Neville seemed to catch onto that quite quickly as they spoke more about those specific plants as they made their way up to the Great Hall for dinner that evening.

Hermione sat down at the Head Table in her normal spot and when she glanced at Neville, she was scared to see that he looked horrified.

"What?" She asked him, trying not to panic in case there was some sort of spider on her or something.

"You're... you're face!" He cried out, doubling over in his chair and holding his stomach as he laughed deeply.

"What about it?" She asked, quickly picking up her empty plate and looking at her reflection in the silver. "Oh Merlin." She muttered, putting her head in her hands and cracking a smile, she was sunburnt from being outside all day.

"I'm so sorry Hermione, I'm so used to being outside, I didn't even think about it." He gasped, still laughing.

"Don't worry about it." She grumbled, shaking her head and pouring herself a goblet of pumpkin juice instead of tea in an attempt to cool her face off. "I'll fix it when I get back to my room." She said as his laughter faded slowly as he spooned food onto both of their plates. She smiled at him gratefully before turning to her to food. Dinner passed by mostly in silence, both of them tired from the day that they had. It was only when she yawned that she stood, resigned that she should go to bed.

"Goodnight Neville." She said, smiling at him sleepily.

" 'Night 'Mione." He said, sounding equally tired. She was sleepy enough that she didn't even realize that he hadn't called her by her full name.

When Hermione got to her rooms, the first thing she did was reach into her bag for her books, she liked to read a little before she went to sleep. She pulled out her dream journal and tossed it onto her bed where it fell open, she glanced at it and gasped. Instead of the usual full pages of script, she saw diagrams, ingredients, and lists cluttered on the pages. She turned her bag out, and started to shake her head, tears prickling her eyes as they fell. She couldn't have been so stupid, she thought angrily as she pushed things aside frantically in search of the journal.

"No, no, no, no." She muttered, brushing the tears off of her sunburnt cheeks. She sucked in a breath and calmed herself. Maybe she would be lucky enough that he wouldn't have looked in it yet. She strode quickly out of her room and directly to the lab, opening the door and bursting inside. She stopped in her tracks when she found her Potions Master looking down at his desk, reading, with a horrified and sad expression on his face. She couldn't stop the onslaught of tears that rolled out of her eyes, humiliated that he had read it, and at a glance, she could tell he had almost read all of it.

"You read it?" She asked through clenched teeth, she was livid. Both at herself for giving it to him on accident, and at him for reading it even though it had clearly been a mistake. "Why?" She asked, and he had enough decency to look ashamed.

"Miss Granger.." He said, his voice not at it's usual volume though it was still just as silky as before.

"No." She said, summoning up all of her Gryffindor courage as she faced the Slytherin Head. "Don't you_ dare_ 'Miss Granger' me. You know full well that I _never_ meant for you to read that. You should have found me immediately and returned it!" She said, letting her voice drip with as much malice as she could muster. "Why did you keep reading it when it was so clear that it wasn't for you to read? That is personal, beyond personal. I can't believe you would do this! I would expect something like this from Ron, even Harry. Not you _Severus Snape_." She said, striding over to his desk, tears long gone, and snatching up her journal.

"I could help-" He started to say, and she cut him off.

"Help?! You think you can help me?" She said, and she realized that yelling was actually making her feel better, more in control, so she continued. "You have no idea what it's like! I close my eyes, and I see every moment, every person that tried to kill me! You have no idea! So how do you think you could _ever_ help me?" She asked, slamming both hands down on the side of the desk she was on, her Gryffindor courage having gotten the best at her as she let go of all of her anger.

"No idea?" He asked softly, and she saw his eyes flash with anger. "I was spy for Voldemort, spy for Dumbledore, playing both sides for almost twenty years, I saw things that would make this last May look like a playground. No Idea?" He grabbed his left sleeve and pulled it up, showing his Dark Mark. "Perhaps you failed to remember that I was indeed a Death Eater before Dumbledore offered me a place in the Order?" He asked, his voice slowly raising. "Or this?" He asked, ripping the neck of his buttoned shirt aside, showing the angry red scar that the snake had caused in May. "I am lucky enough that you saved me, that I didn't die at the hands of that infernal man or his disgusting pet. I've witnessed many people not be lucky enough to have the same fate." He said, and Hermione looked down in shame.

"I just..." Hermione started, not sure what to say. Snape pushed his hair back, he had long ago taken it out of the leather thong, and sighed.

"This war was wrongly fought and won by children." He said, looking at her sadly. "I had a part in cementing the role you all had to play. I had a part in this." He said, tapping the cover of the journal under her hand. "And I apologize." He said softly, and her eyes snapped up to his in surprise. He was standing as well, and she was suddenly very aware they were only about two feet apart, just the desk between them. His eyes shone with regret, and she was sure hers shone with angry tears.

Slowly, her anger fell to the wayside replaced by an overwhelming urge to sleep. She sighed and sat down in the chair behind her, rubbing her face with her hands.

"I was writing it because Neville said it would help, to get it off of my chest." She muttered, her chocolatey brown eyes meeting his dark black ones.

"He's not wrong. Though I find it much more productive to actually speak about them." He said, also taking a seat as he thought about all the times he had sought out Minerva when a nightmare had kept him awake. Hermione sighed, knowing that he was right.

"I just want them to go away, that's why I was taking the Dreamless Sleep." She said and he nodded.

"You need to be careful with it, it can become quite addictive." He stated. She noticed that he looked slightly worried, and she almost felt like she could smile.

"Don't worry sir, I'm not addicted." She sighed.

"You sound disappointed?" He questioned, and she tilted her face slightly.

"I just wish they never happened. It would be better if I didn't dream at all." She said thickly, and she stood with a sigh. "Speaking of dreaming," she said, grabbing her journal from the desk and clutching it to her chest tightly, "I should get to bed." She strode to the door and paused when she heard him speak again.

"You can tell me about them..." He paused. "Hermione." He said softly, knowing that with her Gryffindor sentimentality that if he said her first name, she would be more likely to actually take him up on his offer.

"I appreciate that.." She said, looking at the door in front of her. "Severus." She said, turning back and smirking at him. She left the room, amused at the look on his face as she said his name. She left the room and went to her own, fully intending on sleeping with a potion that night.


	11. Chapter 11

Everything carried on like normal after that night, and Hermione wasn't even sure if it had been real, it had been such a long day, and her hormones had been running high that day. Her nightmares had a tendency to make her especially tired at night, and it wouldn't have been the first time that she had remembered something incorrectly due to her being tired. When she went into the lab to do their weekly cleaning, they both acted as though nothing had happened, and she refused to acknowledge it in case it hadn't.

He certainly acted normal, he had her scrub out the cauldrons and organize potions before they sat down and began to grade papers that the classes had written. Silence reigned over them as they went about their normal Sunday routine. Hermione was satisfied by the end of the day, the thoughts of the night before having escaped her mind. She enjoyed the work they did on Sundays, it might not have been brewing, but cleaning the lab was just as important. As Snape quickly made it clear, if the lab wasn't cleaned regularly then there might be cross contamination resulting in a dangerous mishap. Hermione liked to think sometimes that if she was the Potions Master at the school then she would want her lab to be perfectly clean too, so she didn't mind cleaning it at all. It was just part of the job after all.

* * *

Severus watched his apprentice carefully, watching her for signs of distress after the night before. She seemed to be content to not acknowledge what had transpired between them, and at first it had bothered him, but she seemed to be fine, so he let it settle in the back of his mind. He glowered at the papers he was grading in front of him, these first years were such... well, they were dunderheads. He frowned at an almost illegible essay that sat in front of him, he sighed and automatically knew that this student would get a "P". The sentences were nonsensical, and had no real reason. He knew that his apprentice was much more forgiving with her grades, so he let her grade the more advanced students, sure that they would have at least earned their grades. He felt compelled to look at the girl sitting across from him, and when he raised his eyes he saw that her eyebrows were furrowed together in concentration.

He looked down at the paper in front of him, his quill resting on the paper, though he wasn't writing anything. He thought back to that night that he had heard her scream, and he felt chills run his spine. He couldn't get the sound from his head, it rivaled so many other screams he had heard over the years as a spy. It had been so full of pain, crying for help. Something about it struck a chord with him, and after he had read the journal he knew why. Bellatrix Lestrange. She had been a force to be reckoned with, the most ruthless and heartless of all of the Death Eaters. Her Cruciatus had been the worst, and although she detested muggles, she often reverted to muggle tactics of torture. If her nightmares were to be trusted, she had been tortured with a cursed knife, one that left scars that would never fully heal. He had a few of his own, and knew that it was some of the worst pain he had ever felt. With this thought in his mind, he finally came to the realization of what she had based her project for her apprenticeship on. He shook his head in wonder, he should have figured something like this out before now. He angrily wrote the grade of the paper down and roughly put the paper on the top of the finished pile. His abrupt motions causing his apprentice to look up at him with concern. He met her eyes and was stunned for a moment at the color, almost the exact shade of the hot chocolate he so loved to drink during Christmas time. After a moment he gathered his bearings and lifted one eyebrow. She hastily ducked her head, some of her hair coming forward to shield her face. He stared at her for another moment, thinking about nightmares, his and hers, before turning back to the small stack of papers that he had left to grade.

* * *

They formed a routine, and Hermione found that she liked it. It let her relax some as she found her pace, finding her equilibrium between classes, and her other duties as an apprentice and a member of staff. It also allowed her little time to worry about her social life, which lacked greatly other than the few days a month she would spend time with Neville. For a while she had worried that Harry and Ron weren't writing her, but eventually she stopped writing as well, assuming they were still angry with her for taking the job. She had tried to talk to Ginny, hoping that they might go to Hogsmede, but the younger girl had suggested that Hermione would probably want to spend time with Snape instead and it had led to quite a row between them. She had been worried for a while about this sudden lack of friendship, but after seven years of being friends with them, she decided she deserved better than this and shoved it out of her mind. She would not apologize for trying to make a career in something she loved.

The first part of term passed by quickly once she became used to being back at Hogwarts, and before anyone knew it, Halloween was upon them. Hermione had always liked Halloween, it had been the one time of year she was allowed sweets that were filled with sugar when she had been with her parents. Funnily enough, Hermione had always chosen to dress as a witch for the holiday. Unfortunately for her, many students this year chose to dress up on the thirtieth (as Halloween fell on a Saturday that year), by drawing the Dark Mark on their arms. She had been shocked when she had seen the decorative marks when students filed into the potions classroom, their sleeves pulled up to show off their handiwork.

She lost her composure and quickly exited the room, walking to the potions lab across the hall without saying a word to the Potions Master. She leaned against the desk, clenching her own left arm that held her scar. She sucked in a breath, her thoughts racing too fast. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to clear her mind, trying to not think about how these young students thought this was funny. Her breaths began to come far too quickly, and her chest felt like a Hippogriff was sitting on it. She sat on the floor, not caring if dust got on her robes, and hugged her knees to her chest. It took her a moment to realize that she was having what muggles called a panic attack. Last time she had seen a dark mark, was the battle the May before. She couldn't pry her eyes open, and she could only see flashes of light playing across her vision. She couldn't stop envisioning the battle, friends falling at the hands of Death Eaters, she couldn't stop seeing the looks of terror on her classmates faces. She heard the screams in her mind, the sounds of pain and suffering that had rung out that night. She didn't even know that she was crying until her breaths finally evened themselves out, and she was able to lift her head and open her eyes. She nearly hit her head on the desk above her when she saw a silver patronus of a doe standing in front of her. She wiped her eyes and looked at it warily, sure that she was about to be told off by Severus Snape.

"You are excused from this lesson, though I insist you attend the next class." The low baritone of Snape said through the magical creature in front of her, and she was stunned. He wasn't scolding her, he was giving her space from the mark that haunted her dreams at night. Knowing that the lesson would last at least another hour, she made her way to her quarters, knowing she would need to clean herself up before the next class started.

She sat down on her bed and opened up her Journal, which she now used for more than just dreams, and began to flip through it absentmindedly. She was just glancing at the pages, looking for some form of comfort, when something caught her eye. She slammed her hand down on the page, not wanting to lose what had captured her interest. She stared down at the page, and saw dried water splotches on the page, as though someone had cried over it. She quickly read the entry, this was a recurring nightmare she had, there was no way that she would have cried. Then a thought hit her, as though she had just been slapped in the face. Severus Snape was the only other person to read this, and this was proof that he really had, and he had shed tears over it. For some reason, and she really couldn't place why, the fact that he had shed at least one tear for her comforted her a bit. She stared at the page for a long time, until she heard a voice outside her room. She glanced at her watch and jumped up, cast a cleansing charm on her face and robes, and walked out of her quarters just in time for the next lesson.

* * *

He watched his apprentice leave the room in a panicked flurry, and he was outraged at first. How dare she leave without saying anything, how dare she leave at all when he had all the power to end her apprenticeship for it. He had then turned to his classroom of first years, glaring at them as they chittered around the room. That was when he saw it, the same mark that adorned his left forearm had been crudely drawn on almost every student that was sitting in his room, save for a handful of Slytherins. He didn't know what to say for a moment, he just stared blankly at the students around the room, wondering why they would do something so atrocious.

"Why, in the name of Slytherin, does every student in my class have that vile mark on their arm?" He asked, his voice dripping with malice. He was pleased when more than one student suddenly looked fearful. "Do any of you know what it means? What that mark caused?" He asked, slowly stepping off of his raised desk platform and down into the classroom itself. "That mark." He said, stopping at one student and snatching their arm up in his hand. He pointed his wand at it and vanished the ink. "Cost people their lives." He did it to another student. "It cost people their homes." Again. "Their families." Another. "It gave Voldemort power." He said, raising his wand over his head and giving a large swooping motion, vanishing all of the ink off of his pupils.

"You all think this is a joke..." He said in a low voice. "You think this is funny?!" He roared, looking around the room, and every student shrunk in their seats. "If I ever see another Dark Mark in my classroom... In this school... I can assure you that you will never attend another potions lesson for the rest of your lives." He threatened, and he could see some of the students visibly gulp. "This was the most careless, idiotic thing I have ever seen. And you all have detention for the rest of the week. Open your books to page ninety seven and copy it onto parchment word for word." He said, making his way back to his desk. When he turned to look at the students again, he saw a Gryffindor boy with his hand raised.

"What?" He snapped, making the boy jump.

"What do you want us to do after sir?" He asked and Severus Snape raised his trademark eyebrow.

"Do it again." He stated simply, attempting to reign in his temper. He sat at his desk and angrily opened his own book before silently casting a Patronus Charm. "You are excused from this lesson," he paused for a moment, wondering if his apprentice was okay, "Though I insist you attend the next class." He added, and sent it on his way under the watch of the room of first years. He glared at them and they silently went back to copying the page of the book.

They sat in silence like that, the only sound being quill against paper, until a minute before he had to excuse them. He stood and cleared his throat, and they all dropped their quills with relief. He walked through the isles of his classroom, noting that each student had at least four copies of the page written out.

"Ten points to Slytherin." He said, and as many mouths opened to protest he held up a hand, commanding silence. "As they were the only ones in this class to not participate in the foolishness you deem fun." He said, and with the last word he flicked his wand and the papers they had all spent the last hour writing burnt into ashes right in front of them. "I suggest you spread the word about that nasty mark." He said to his class, pleased when they all looked at him with hatred, but they nodded glumly in understanding. "You are excused." He said, as the door opened to reveal his apprentice, red eyed, but otherwise okay.

"I'm sorry sir." She said softly as she closed the door behind the last student to exit his classroom.

"I assure you, I understand. Do not think to make it a habit to walk out of my class though." He said, vanishing the ashes from the tables as she nodded.

The rest of the day passed without incident, though students looked more apprehensive than usual when they entered his class. He was actually enjoying this apprehensive attitude, noticing that the students seemed much more attentive than a normal day. He kept a close eye on his apprentice, looking for signs of distress that might come. He was silently grateful that she seemed perfectly fine, she held onto her composure and continued with class as though nothing had happened earlier that day. It wasn't until the last class of the day that he saw her show any emotion. She had laid eyes on Ginny Weasley and turned sharply. He watched her close her eyes and take a deep breath. He refused to allow any emotion cross his face, though he felt concern threaten to overtake his features as he watched her. She opened her eyes, and her face grew red when she noticed him watching her. She turned back to the room and he continued with his lesson.

* * *

Hermione sighed with relief when her head hit her pillow that night, today had been horrible and she was looking forward to the sweet release that sleep might offer her. She reached into the drawer of her night table, searching for a Dreamless Sleep. When her hand didn't make contact with any vials, she panicked a little as she grabbed her wand.

"Lumos." She muttered, holding the light to the open drawer. She sighed when she realized she had failed to restock her precious potion. She let her head fall back onto the pillow, this would be a bad night. She closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep, praying that the nightmares would evade her tonight. They did not. this was a different nightmare though, worse than a memory.

Greyback stood over her, breathing harshly on her face. He was holding her hands down and sitting on her legs, constricting her movement. She struggled against his capture, but she couldn't fight against his werewolf strength. She was terrified, the moon hung in the sky, it looked full but with her terror she couldn't tell if it was or not. Would the man looming over her change tonight? She whipped her face to the side, trying to avoid breathing in his stench as his face moved closer to hers. She felt his tongue flick out and touch the skin of her neck, and she tried to head butt him. He saw it coming and lifted his head up before she could make contact. He chuckled and shook his head.

"You silly girl... She said I could have you... After she was done." He said, and she watched in fright as his teeth elongated. At least, she thought they did. She struggled against him, trying to get away to reach her wand. She just needed her wand.

"Get off of me!" She growled, glaring at the man that held her in place.

"I think not... You have a pretty neck.. pet." He said, drawing in a long breath, and he sighed in ecstasy. She felt sick to her stomach as he grinned at her, showing off his teeth that smelled like rotting flesh.

In a flash, his teeth clamped onto her neck, and she couldn't hold back the scream that forced its way out of her lungs and throat. She could feel the blood rush down her neck, the heat of the thick liquid burning as it kissed her flesh. She felt him rip off a piece of her skin, and her neck burned viciously in the exposed area. She tried to scream, but blood found its way into her esophagus and she found herself choking instead.

* * *

It took him all of a moment to realize what had woken him. A ringing scream had reached his quarters, and he jumped out of his bed. He snatched up his robe and ran out of the room as he tied it loosely. He ran to the room the screams were emitting from, and pushed the door open. His apprentice lay in her bed thrashing, and he reacted impulsively. He was quickly sitting on the edge of her bed, his hands on her shoulders.

"Miss Granger!" He said loudly, attempting to wake her to no avail. He shook her shoulders roughly, and finally her eyes sprang open. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who reacted impulsively, as she reached out and scratched his face. He reeled back, holding his cheek in one hand, looking at the girl in shock. She clawed at her own throat in panic, her eyes searching about wildly for the source of her nightmare. He was terrified for the girl that sat in the bed clawing at her own throat, he didn't know what to do in a situation such as this. "Miss Granger." He said through clenched teeth, and she finally seemed to realize what had happened as she stopped searching her throat for wounds. "Miss Granger." He repeated a bit more softly, and she met his eyes. His heart ached for this young woman, who had seen far too much in her years. She began to sob and pulled her knees up to her chest. Severus did the only thing he could think to do, he sat in the chair closest to her bed, waiting for her to calm.

After a while, her sobs softened and she lifted her head, looking at the Potions Master sadly. She shook her head and tightened her knees against her chest, staying silent. Severus noticed the journal on the bedside table next to him and gingerly picked it and a quill up. He started to hand it to her, but realized she was in no state to write anything down. He slowly opened the journal and gazed at her. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before he spoke.

"Tell me." He simply said, setting the tip of the quill on the paper as his apprentice, Hermione Granger, sucked in a deep breath at his actions. She stared at him for a moment doubtfully before she nodded.

"It was Greyback." She said hoarsely, and he began to write for her.


	12. Chapter 12

Severus stayed in the room, writing in her journal for her until she fell asleep again. When she was once again sleeping fitfully, Severus sighed and set her journal and quill down on her bedside table. He sat back in the chair with another sigh, looking at the woman that was laying in the bed. Something caught his eye, and he leaned forward. Carefully, he adjusted her arm and stared at the word that was on her arm. He felt almost sick, seeing the word 'Mudblood' that had been carved into her pale flesh. He closed his eyes as he sat back in the chair again, thinking back on the memory he had seen of his godson's.

He could see what Bellatrix had done to the girl in front of him, he could see everything that the vile woman had done to her. He could feel the bile rising in his throat, and he took in a deep breath. He shifted his thoughts to something happier, and he began to think about his days as an apprentice. He was much harsher with his own than his master had been. He opened his eyes and looked at his apprentice thoughtfully. He thought about standing and leaving the room, but something told him to stay, just in case she was woken by another nightmare.

* * *

Hermione opened her eyes slowly, her eyes felt a little swollen from the nightmare that had woken her the night before. The sat up and rubbed her face in her hands, trying to get the memories of her nightmare out of her head. She turned to grab her journal from her table and froze when she saw her master asleep in the chair next to her bed.

She stared at him, and saw that he actually looked peaceful. His face seemed smoother, less harsh, and without his conservative robes he usually wore, he looked his age. She realized that he usually looked around ten years older than he really was when he was all buttoned up. Hermione blushed when she noticed that he was wearing a loosely tied rode that was showing part of his chest. She quickly averted her eyes, not wanting to invade his privacy.

She quietly climbed out of bed and grabbed some clothes. She slipped into her bathroom and quickly changed into her robes, trying her hardest to not make any noise so as to not wake the man sitting in the other room. She walked back out of the room and gazed at the man for a moment before grabbing a quilt and lightly draping it over him. She made her way to the door and walked out of her room, shutting the door softly behind her.

She was sitting next to Neville in silence when her master made his way into the Great Hall. He sat next to her and poured himself some coffee. Hermione had just picked up her tea and had taken a drink when he spoke.

"Morning Miss Granger." He said casually, and Hermione chocked on her tea. Neville thumped her on her back and she looked at Snape, her eyes watering.

"Morning sir." She said hoarsely, and he nodded once as he pulled a plate toward him. Hermione gaped at him for a moment before turning to Neville, her eyebrows raised.

"Morning?" Neville whispered, and Hermione shrugged.

"Did you sleep well Miss Granger?" Snape asked, and Hermione whipped her head to face him again. He was looking at her as he drank his coffee.

"Erm.. yes sir. Thank you…" She said, and he nodded.

"Have you finished your essay for this week?" He asked in a low conversational manner. He raised an eyebrow and she nodded.

"Yes sir." She said. She watched him incline his head, indicating for her to elaborate. "Erm.." She said, turning to her plate. "This week I worked on wolfsbane. It was a little tricky, I made sure to make a couple different batches." She said, and he nodded.

"It took me a few tries the first time I tried to make it for Lupin." He said, and they descended into silence. He finished his meal quickly and turned to her as he stood. "I'll be down in the lab." He said, nodding to her, and she stood as well.

"I'll walk down with you." She said, gulping down the last of her tea. She smiled at Neville and walked behind her master as they exited the Great Hall.

" Sir are you alright?" She asked, concerned that he might have hit his head or something.

"Quite." He said as they walked. He adjusted his pace so that they were walking next to each other. He glanced at her quickly before looking forward again. "Are you alright?" He asked quietly, and she looked down at her shoes.

"Yes… thank you." She said meaningfully, and he nodded.

"I said you could tell me about them." He said after he had looked around to make sure there were no students around.

"Yes sir." She said.

* * *

They entered the lab together, Severus holding the door open for her to enter behind him. He watched her silently as she walked over to the desk and started to push through her bag. She pulled out a large piece of parchment and handed it to him.

"Miss Granger, if you would please organize and clean out the ingredients cupboard while I read through this?" He asked her, and she nodded. She made her way over to the cupboard and opened it. He walked over to his desk and sat in his chair, spreading the parchment out on the desk in front of him.

He constantly found himself impressed with the quality of work that his apprentice turned into him. With the essay he was reading now, he couldn't stop reading over how doses of wolfsbane might be able to help people who had been injured by werewolves that hadn't been changed at the time. He leaned back in his chair and thought about Bill Weasley, who had been scratched by Greyback, and as he understood it, now had some wolfish tendencies. He forced himself to move on and finish reading, and when he did he stood and made his way to help her with the cupboard.

"I was thinking about making a checklist." She said when he came up next to her. He raised an eyebrow and appraised her.

"Why?" He asked, looking around at the cupboard and wondering why a checklist was necessary.

"Oh, I was just thinking that if you had a checklist, this wouldn't happen." She said, lifting up an empty jar and shaking it. He raised both eyebrows and nodded.

"Maybe you should write that up then." He suggested, and his apprentice nodded, exiting the cupboard. He looked around at everything in front of him, and took stock of everything he needed to restock. He sighed as he began to grab the empty bottles, taking note of the sheer volume of ingredients that he needed to buy. After he had gathered all the empty vials and put them into a crate, he grabbed a traveling cloak and threw it on.

"Miss Granger, I need to restock our supplies. I'm going to Hogsmeade, you are welcome to come with." He said, raising his eyebrows as she jumped out of her seat.

"Thank you sir, I'll just grab my cloak." She said, inclining her head slightly and exiting the room. He walked over to the desk she had just been sitting, and glanced at the paper. She had made a grid of ingredients, organized by location of where they were on the shelves. He raised his eyebrows, impressed that she had done it so quickly. She walked back in as he was studying the paper, and stopped walking.

"Erm…" She said nervously, and he looked up at her. He flicked his wand, and the parchment flew through the air and stuck itself on the inside of the cupboard door. She looked at him in surprise, but he only picked up the crate and walked to the door.

"Shall we?" He asked, and she nodded as she opened the door to let him through.

* * *

Hermione sat next to Neville for dinner that night, and he turned to her as soon as she took her seat.

"So what was that about earlier? With Snape?" He asked in a hushed whisper. Hermione ran the days events over in her head, and shook her head.

"No idea." She said. "He's been… extremely pleasant." She said, looking Neville in the eyes as she answered.

"Pleasant? Not exactly a word I would use to describe Snape." He said, picking up a butterbeer and pushing one toward her.

"He's been almost friendly. If I didn't know any better…" She trailed off as she took a swig of the butterbeer.

"It's just weird." He said, and she nodded.

"We went to Hogsmeade for ingredients today." She said, and Neville looked at her, surprised.

"Hasn't he left you here the last couple times he had to go to the village?" He asked, and she nodded. "What happened? What made him start acting so… Weird?" He asked, and Hermione thought back to the night before.

* * *

_He had sat next to her as she spoke about her nightmare, about how she could feel Greyback on top of her, feel his teeth sink into her flesh. She had seen him flinch when she had relayed what he had said to her._

_"Did this actually happen?" He had asked, the quill stilling in his hand. She had shook her head._

_"No." She had whispered. "It makes it worse…"_

_"How?"_

_"Well I know I survived everything else, even if I was terrified at the time and didn't know I would live, I did." She had said, and he nodded his head. "This… It's almost as though it's a possibility, and I know it's one I wouldn't… I would die." Her voice trembled as she spoke, and he looked down at the page he had been writing on._

_"Greyback is dead." He said simply, and she had let out a choked laugh._

_"I know that."_

_"Are you.. are you scared of him?" He asked, feeling foolish as the words came out. He was met with silence, and he looked up to see that she was looking frustrated._

_" I think a healthy amount of fear was rational. When he was alive. But now? Of course I'm not." She said, and he nodded. "This is the first one." She had said after a moment of silence, and he raised a brow at her._

_"What do you mean?" He asked, slightly intrigued._

_"It's the first one I've ever had that.. that I just imagined." She clarified. "Every nightmare, even if I woke up terrified, I knew after just a moment that it already happened and that it was over." She said, and he had nodded._

_"You're safe now… You know that." He had said in a gentle voice, and she had nodded as a few tears escaped her eyes. She had swiped them away angrily. Snape had reached forward and touched the bed close to her, his hand resting flat on the bed. "Potter made sure that you would be safe." He said, and her hand fell from her face to fall on the bed, the tips of their fingers touching lightly. After a moment of shock, he pulled his hand away slowly and picked the journal up from his lap._

_"A lot of good that did, he stopped talking to me." She had said with a scoff. He had been surprised at this new piece of information, but had nothing to say about it._

* * *

"I really have no idea." Hermione said, spooning some food onto her plate to distract herself.

"Huh." Neville said, shaking his head and turning to his own food. They steered the conversation away from Snape and his unusual behavior, and to their respective classes. When Neville said that the second years were working on Mandrakes, Hermione laughed.

"Do you still faint? With earmuffs?" Hermione laughed, smiling at Neville when he blushed.

"No. But Sprout asked me the same thing. In front of all of the second years." He mumbled, and Hermione burst out laughing, covering her mouth.

"She didn't." Hermione said, shaking her head.

"She did… It's not that funny." He groaned, and Hermione took a couple deep breaths to calm herself.

"Of course. Sorry." She said, struggling to not smile. Neville rolled his eyes and turned back to his meal.

"You're a shite liar, you know that?" He said, a grin blooming on his face as he shook his head.

"Yeah, alright Longbottom." She laughed, nudging him in the ribs with her elbow.


	13. Chapter 13

Hermione was standing in front of the mirror in her chambers, checking herself to make sure that she was presentable. Ginny had finally came up to her and told her that she and Harry were meeting at the Three Broomsticks. She had reluctantly invited Hermione over breakfast the day before. It had probably been the most awkward conversation Hermione had been through since she had come back to Hogwarts.

"Erm, hi Hermione." Ginny had said after walking up to the head table. Hermione had raised her eyebrows in surprise, as had Neville who was sitting next to her.

"Hi Ginny, how are you?" She had asked, setting her teacup down.

"Good. Thanks. I was just wondering. Erm… If you aren't busy with.. Snape. Would you want to come to Hogsmeade tomorrow? Harry is meeting me at noon, I can meet you in the entrance hall." She had asked, looking extremely uncomfortable. Hermione had looked at her, concerned for a moment, before nodding.

"Alright then." She said, nodding. Ginny nodded and walked down to the Gryffindor table. Neville had turned to Hermione, his eyebrows furrowed.

"That the first time you two have talked?" He asked in a whisper, and she nodded.

"Other than the occasional 'hello' in class." She said, turning to him and shrugging.

"Have you heard from Harry.. or Ron?" He had asked, and she scoffed into her tea.

"No. I quit writting them too. Harry wrote me one, one letter. Ron put a little note on the bottom about how he thought that this was a mistake." She had shaken her head and turned to her food.

She took a deep breath and straightened her robes. She brushed her hair out of her face with one hand, her fingers snagging on some tangles. She rolled her eyes and left her room. She was waiting for Ginny in the entrance hall when Severus walked up to her. She tilted her head and gave him a hint of a smile.

"Miss Granger." He said, nodding his head once. "Are you going to Hogsmeade this afternoon?"

"Yes sir." She said, sticking her hands deep into the pockets of her robes. "Having lunch at the Three Broomsticks, I think I might go to the apothecary after. Some of my ingredients are running low." She said thoughtfully, and Severus nodded.

"How are you?" He asked, lowering his voice and gazing evenly at her.

"I'm fine.. thank you." She said, giving him a grateful smile. He had insisted on her keeping silencing charms off of her room ever since the night that had shifted their professional relationship, leaning it more toward a simplistic friendship. He had rescued her from nightmares a handful of times since then, and her nightmares seemed to be littering her sleep less and less.

"Good." He said, pulling a pouch out of his pocket. "Here." He said, handing it to her. She looked up at him as it landed in her hand.

"Is this… Money?" She asked, and he lifted his eyebrows.

"Yes." He said.

"Why are you giving me money?" She asked him, shaking her head and holding it back out to him.

"You work hard." He said simply, taking a small step back and staring pointedly at her. She sighed and shoved it into her pocket. "It's for the ingredients. Possibly a couple butterbeers." He said, and she was shocked at the amusement in his voice and eyes. She shook her head and smiled.

"Ah yes, of course. The butterbeers so vital to my apprenticeship." She said, rolling her eyes as she let out a soft chuckle. They were interrupted by the clearing of a throat. Severus' features were suddenly unreadable and harsh again, and Hermione quickly wiped the smile off of her face. "Ginny. Hi." She said, glancing at her master, who had an unreadable expression on his face.

"Hi… Erm.. hope I'm not interrupting anything." She said, eyebrows raised as she looked back and forth between the two people standing before her.

"Not at all Miss Weasley. Miss Granger was just telling me that she was needing to buy some ingredients. I gave her a list." He said. "Good day, Miss Granger." He said, giving her a nod and walking away.

"What was so funny?" Ginny asked as they walked out of the castle.

"Erm… I said I was going to use my stipend for butterbeer." She said, and Ginny glanced at her, skeptical.

"Sure.. funny." She said, and they continued their walk in silence

"I was surprised you wanted me to come." Hermione said when they were in the pub, waiting for Harry.

"Well… Erm.." Ginny was staring down at her mug as she spoke. Hermione let out an irritated laugh.

"Ginny." She said, finally making eye contact with Ginny. "Spit it out." She said.

"You work for Snape. It's weird. And he's… Evi-"

"Don't finish that sentence." Hermione said, her face becoming very serious. "He is not, not to mention he was acquitted of all charges. He was working for the Order." She said, and Ginny threw her hands up.

"You're defending him!" She said. "What's gotten into you? Look, I was excited that you would be at Hogwarts. I thought I would get to see you all the time. But you spend all of your time with Snape. I thought that we- Harry." She stated, standing and hugging her boyfriend, who took a seat next to her.

"Hi love." He said, giving Ginny a kiss on the cheek. He smiled at Hermione and nodded. "How are you Hermione?" he asked, nodding at the waiter that set a drink in front of him.

"You would know if you wrote." She said plainly, and he looked guilty as he sipped the amber liquid in front of him.

"Yeah… Its just.." He began, and she let out a sigh.

"Let me guess. Snape? I thought you lot were okay with it? Not that I need your permission." She said, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at him.

"Look… I know that he was on our side in the end… But I still don't trust him. Not to mention he's an arse." He said, shrugging. Hermione looked back and forth between Ginny and Harry, narrowing her eyes at them.

"Is this… an intervention?" She asked, and the couple looked at eachother before looking back at her. She stood and set some coins down on the table.

"It was so nice to catch up with you." She said sarcastically, ignoring Ginny when she called out to her and leaving the pub. She was fuming, all she was trying to do was further her career. She had thought that her friends would understand, given that Harry and Ron were working for the ministry- which had been infiltrated by Death Eaters before the Battle of Hogwarts.

* * *

Severus had lied to the Weasley girl, he hadn't given his apprentice a list of ingredients he needed to be bought, though he did make the trip to Hogsmeade himself. He had made his way down to the village about fifteen minutes after they had parted ways in the entrance hall. He was in the apothecary when his apprentice entered the shop. He watched her as she walked around, red faced, and snatched ingredients off of the shelves. She was walking past him when she stumbled, and he instinctively reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Miss Granger?" He asked as she righted herself. "Are you alright?" He asked, she glanced at him and adjusted her arms to keep her purchases in place.

"Sorry sir." She mumbled, looking down at the ground.

"What's wrong?" He asked, he was worried for his apprentice. She was never this reckless, he had not seen her this upset.

"It was an intervention. Everyone thinks that me working with you is a mistake." She said, looking up at him miserably.

"I see." He said, slowly letting go of her arm. "And what do you think?" He asked, and she shook her head.

"I think this is the best thing I could do. I love working for- with you. I didn't realize it at first… It took me a while to figure it out. But I love brewing." She sighed as she followed him slowly to the front counter to make their purchases.

"Do you wish to study under someone more…. reputable? I'm sure I could arrange something if you wish." He said slowly.

"Do you want me to leave?" She asked him, and he snapped to look at her.

"No." He said without hesitation. She raised her eyebrows and nodded.

"Then no. I don't want anything to be 'arranged', okay?" She said, and Severus felt a surge of relief. After they were done paying, he walked with his apprentice to the door and held it open for her as they entered the chilled late fall air. They walked up to the castle together in silence, he could tell that his apprentice was thinking hard and didn't want to interrupt. He considered, for a fleeting moment, taking a peek into her brain. Anyone else he would have, but everything in him was telling him to not betray her trust like that.

"Why don't you assist me in the lab? I need to brew some potions for the infirmary." Severus said, looking at her hopefully. She seemed taken aback, but nodded and followed him into the lab when they reached it.

They worked smoothly, each of them working efficiently at their own cauldrons. Severus checked her progress every once in a while, making sure that her emotions weren't effecting her brewing. Once they finished brewing, Severus decided that he had let her stew in her own thoughts long enough.

"What happened?" He asked as he was sorting out the newly filled vials into crates to take to the hospital wing. He glanced over at his apprentice, who was studying a vial closely.

"Ginny started it, said that I spent all my time with you. She said that you…" When he looked over she was shaking her head in disgust.

"I was what?" He asked, and she sighed.

"She said you were evil." Hermione sighed, looking guiltily at him. He shook his head slightly and turned back to his task as she continued to speak.

"Then Harry came and sat down. He said that he didn't trust you and that you are well…" He glanced at her again, eyebrows raised. "an arse." She said, and he was ammused that she was biting back a smile.

"And what do you think?" He asked, leaning his hip against his desk and crossing his arms as he faced her.

"Do I think you're evil? Or do I trust you?" She asked, and he shrugged.

"Both?" He suggested, and she looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I used to think you were evil. But now? No. And I think you would know by now if I didn't trust you." She said, smiling a little. He gazed at her evenly for a moment before nodding. "I was upset with them when I came here. They were mad that I was going to be working for you. And that I wasn't going to be living with them all the time." She said, and he was surprised.

"You told them the details about the contract?" He asked, and she nodded.

"I thought I should explain why I wasn't going to be living with them at Grimmauld Place." She said, and he nodded once.

"You told them you would be living at Spinners End in the summers?" He asked slowly, and she looked at him guiltily. "I see." He said, uncrossing his arms and placing his hands on the desk behind him. She was watching him as he watched her, and they held eye contact for a moment before she took a deep breath and turned back to the potions in front of her. She slowly loaded them into a crate, glancing at Severus every so often.

"Do you want me to take these?" She asked when she finished, and he pushed himself from the desk.

"It's too much for one person to carry." He said, stacking a couple and lifting them. She did the same and they carefully made their way out of the room and walked together to the hospital wing.

"Would you like company to dinner?" He asked after they had unloaded the vials into Madame Pomfrey's cupboard.

"I don't think I'm going to the Great Hall for dinner." She said softly. He stared at her fora moment.

"We can ask an elf to bring us some food to the classroom." He suggested hopefully, and she stared at him for a second before nodding.

"We can grade." She said as they walked together, and Severus nodded, knowing that he was behind on his grading anyhow. They reached the potions classroom and Severus closed the door softly behind them.

"Missy." He called out, and the familiar elf popped into the room, bowing deeply.

"Master Snape calls." She said, bouncing on her toes.

"Hello Missy, would you please bring dinner for Miss Granger and myself?" He asked.

"What would Miss and Master like for dinner?" She asked them.

"I would take some fish and chips." Hermione said to her with a kind smile, Severus stared at her as he answered.

"Same for me please Missy." He said, the elf bobbed her head and disappeared with a loud pop.

He stared at his apprentice as she made her way to the desk and began to sort some paperwork, there was something about the way she moved around that held his attention.

"Are you just going to stand there?" She asked, raising her eyebrow at him. He bit back a smile at the sight of her standing up there looking like a menacing professor. He walked forward and began to help her sort out the papers on his desk. He was relieved when the food showed up, and the elf placed the dishes on the desk. He sat down after thanking the elf and pushed one plate toward his apprentice. She picked up a chip and popped it into her mouth, pulling some of the papers toward her and dipping her quill into a pot of red ink. He followed suit, and they worked in silence as they ate their food.

"You know, I do spend all my time with you." She said conversationally as she placed the last graded page on a tall stack. Severus leaned back in his chair, running his hand through his hair.

"Well you do work for me." He agreed. "Does it bother you?" He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head a little.

"No.. I thought that maybe it would. Before.." She glanced at him. "I like working for you." She explained.

"You didn't trust me.. did you?" He asked.

"I saved you." She said, furrowing her brow.

"Yes. But did you trust me?" He asked, placing his elbow on the arm of his chair and his chin on his knuckles.

"I… You killed Dumbledore.." She said, looking guilty. She continued to speak before he could say anything else. "You were a Death Eater, but you were also part of the Order. You were.. cruel.. as a professor. No, I didn't trust you. But seeing you.. dying? That was a turning point. You put yourself in harms way and you were willing to die. I knew you were with us." She said, gazing evenly at him.

"All it took was me almost dying." He said, shaking his head.

"That's all. I was surprised you agreed to have me as an apprentice though." She said. "Why did you?" She asked him after a moment of silence. He took a deep breath and looked at the desk.

"Well, as you mentioned, you saved my life. I'm grateful for that." He added. "But you are… talented. I will need someone to replace me eventually." He said, and she looked at him, surprised.

"You want me to take over the Potions position?" She asked. He stood from his chair and let out a breath.

"I'll need someone to eventually." He said. "Even now, it's nice to have some assistance." He gathered up the papers and walked them over to a cabinet, putting them away.

"Oh!" He heard from behind him, he turned to see his apprentice standing. "I just- I need to go to the lab." She said excitedly, and he raised a brow at her as she left the room, leaving him alone.

Hours later, Severus went to the lab to lock everything up. Students had a nasty habit of wandering the castle at night. He was greeted with the sight of his apprentice sitting in the ill lit room working in front of a cauldron.

"Miss Granger." He said, surprised. "What are you doing here?" He asked, and she waved her hand.

"Working." She said, and he raised his eyebrows.

"I see that. Why?" He asked, walking closer to her and glancing into the cauldron.

"I think I have something. To heal scars. Not cursed ones, not yet. But I think I have something. It should be done in just a few moments." She said, her eyes alight with excitement. He took in a deep breath, taking in the smell of the potion. He reeled when he took in the smell and recognized it. He shook his head, it had to be a coincidence. He stepped back a little as his apprentice extinguished the flame under the cauldron. She set a cooling charm on it and let it sit for a moment before she grabbed some with the stirrer and slathered some on the back of her left hand. He noticed the faint scars that sat on her skin.

"What-" He began, but stopped speaking when she shot him a look. He stared at her, his eyes moving from her hopeful face down her slender, covered arm and to her hand. After a minute she picked up a cloth and wiped off the paste from her hand. She jumped up and shoved her hand into his face.

"It worked!" She exclaimed. She jumped joyfully before throwing her arms around him. He froze, his arms at his sides. He could feel her shoulders shaking, and at the realization that she was crying, he slowly wrapped his arms around her. He closed his eyes reflexively as she held him, and sucked in a deep breath. His eyes popped open, and he took a step back. He had smelled that same scent once before, during a sixth year potions lesson just a couple months ago. The smell of potions ingredients, old books, ink, a hint of roses. He stared at her, his eyes wide. She was grinning widely, tears staining her cheeks.

"It worked." She whispered, and Severus allowed a smile to adorn his face.

"It worked." He agreed. "Good job." He said. She shook her head and wiped her face.

"I can't believe it." She said, and he nodded in agreement. "I'm so close." She said, grinning. She turned to her cauldron and waved her wand, the rest of the potion settling itself into vials. She grabbed her journal and looked at a page happily. "I did it." She said happily, turning back to Severus. She held out the journal to him, and he gently took it from her. He read over the page quickly and nodded.

"It's late." He said, looking over the journal at her. "You should get some sleep. If I remember correctly, we are cleaning this room tomorrow." He said, and she nodded.

He watched her gather her things, thinking about if he had messed up the amortentia. He ran it over in his head, going over every step of the potion. He hadn't made any mistakes, he had brewed it correctly. He stared at her as she threw her bag over her shoulder, and left the room, a spring in her step. He shook his head, he had to have made a mistake. There was no way that his amortentia smelled like his apprentice. He had a wandering thought about what her amortentia might smell like, and he made a note to ask her.


	14. Chapter 14

Hermione was awake, and it was only about three in the morning. She was walking to the classroom, to grab some dreamless sleep when she heard a shout. She paused, letting silence envelope the space she was standing. She turned her head, straining her ears to try to find the sound. She heard it again and realized that the shout was coming from her master's quarters.

She quickly walked to his door and knocked, hoping that the noise would wake him up. When she heard another shout, she threw caution to the wind and burst into the room. He was tossing and turning on his bed, she quickly walked to the bed.

"Sir? Please sir, wake up. Sir!" She said, trying to grab his arms to calm him. He was still moaning, his face showed an expression of pain. She finally grabbed his arm, and felt a sting. She pulled back, he had stung her while asleep.

"Severus!" She yelled, and he sat bolt upright, eyes wide. His chest was heaving, and he glanced around wildly. "Severus it's me." She whispered, taking a step back to give him some space. He seemed to realize what had happened, and swung his legs over the bed and running a hand through his hair.

"Hermione…" He sighed, rubbing his face with both hands. He stood, and Hermione averted his eyes as he was only wearing pants. He walked over to his dresser and grabbed a T-shirt. He pulled it on and grabbed two glasses and a bottle of amber off of the top of the dresser. He flopped down in a chair, and gestured to the one across the small table from him. She watched him as she slowly took the seat.

He poured himself a couple inches of the liquid, and offered her the bottle. She took it and poured herself some as well. She smelled the liquid, the strong smell of alcohol greeted her with a hint of honey. She took a sip and made a face as the liquid burned her throat. She heard a glass hit the table, and glanced at her master to see that he had downed his glass already. He took the bottle back and poured himself another glass.

"Are you alright sir?" She asked apprehensively. He sighed and took another drink. He looked at her, but didn't speak. "You were having a nightmare." She stated, and he raised his eyebrows.

"Very astute of you." He said, he sounded tired. "What are you doing in here?" He asked, pushing his hair out of his face.

"You wake me up when you hear me having a nightmare." She said, taking another sip of her drink, admiring how the burn made her want more. He nodded and set his glass down.

"You are my apprentice." He said, nodding. "It's part of my job to know that you are in good health."

"Are you going to tell me what it was?" She asked softly, staring down at the glass in her hands. He shook his head as he picked up the bottle and took a swig straight from it.

"No." He said, and Hermione sighed.

"Why not?" She asked, setting her glass down.

"I ask you to tell me about yours to help you. I don't need help." He said, sneering a little. Hermione shook her head.

"You're stubborn. That didn't look like you were fine." She said, crossing her arms. "You said talking about them helps, why won't you talk about them?" She asked, and he stood, taking the bottle with him. He began to pace the room, shooting her a glance every few steps.

"I don't try to make a habit of speaking to my students about my personal life." He said, taking another drink.

"I'm not a regular student. Do you make a habit of drinking with your students?" She asked, staring pointedly at him. He stopped pacing and looked at the bottle in his hands.

"Damn it." He muttered, sitting across from her again. "Fine. You want to know what it was about?" He asked, and she nodded.

"It was the day I was marked." He said, rubbing his hand over the Dark Mark on his forearm. "I was eighteen. It hurt like… like if you were being enveloped in Fiendfyre. Like it was coursing through your veins. It lasts a long time. Too long. It takes.. half an hour? For the mark to take. The entire time, you are on the floor, screaming for someone to help you, for the pain to end. It doesn't. That's what my nightmare was about." He said, staring down.

"Why did you join them?" She whispered, and his head snapped up to look at her. For a moment, she saw the vulnerable man in front of her. He looked tired, ragged and worn. It was difficult to believe that he was not yet forty.

"It was.. stupid. I was a young man who had only ever known hate. My father… He hated magic. He hated me, and my mother. The people I went to school with, even some of my own housemates hated me for no other reason than me being alive. The people who were kind to me drew me in, they were followers. So I joined. I knew better, but I couldn't refuse." He said, looking at the table.

"I'm sorry." She said softly.

"It's nothing." He said, standing once more. "It's…" He trailed off, drinking some more.

"You were.. my age." She said.

"I thought you were eighteen?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My birthday is September nineteenth." She said, raising her eyebrows when he chuckled. "Something funny?" She asked, and he shook his head.

"Happy late birthday." He said.

"Well, it's a couple months late, but thank you." She said, raising her glass in a toast. He did the same with the bottle and finished the whisky.

"I'm sorry you had to do that." She said, and he shook his head.

"Long time ago." He muttered.

"Not long enough by the sound of it." She said, and he nodded.

"It would have been better if this just never happened." He said.

"I would have been fantastic if there hadn't been a war fought by children." She agreed.

"What were you doing awake anyway?" He asked her, taking in her state of dress as he grabbed a new, full bottle.

"I couldn't sleep." She muttered, and he nodded. He popped open the new bottle and poured some into her glass. She stared at him evenly as she raised the glass to her lips. He watched as she took a sip, and took his seat again. Hermione took a deep breath through her nose, she liked the smell of his chambers. It smelled lightly of potion ingredients, books, smoke coming from the dying fireplace. She shook her head, she couldn't quite place the smell. The alcohol was starting to dull her senses, but she took another drink anyway.

"Well that should help a bit." He muttered, staring at her. She raised her brows and took him in.

His hair was in his face, he kept having to push it back. His cheeks were tinged pink from the alcohol. He had circles under his eyes, but she noticed that they weren't black like she had previously thought but rather a dark chocolate brown. He was pale, but not sickly looking. He was actually.. darkly handsome. Hermione shook her head as the thought crossed her mind. This was Severus Snape.

"I should go…" She muttered, standing. She stumbled, and suddenly Severus was in front of her, holding onto her arms.

"You need to be more careful." He said gently. She looked up at his face, and was surprised.

"You have really long eyelashes." She muttered, and clapped her hand over her mouth. His eyes grew wide, and he slowly released her arms from his grasp.

"You… should go back to your quarters." He said, taking a step back from her. She nodded her head and walked to the door.

"Goodnight… Severus." She said, feeling daring as she said his name.

"Sleep well Hermione." She heard, she glanced back and saw him pick up the newer bottle and take a long drag from it.

"You too." She said softly, leaving the room.


	15. Chapter 15

The headmistress called a meeting of all the staff, save for a couple that would be patrolling the halls, the day before the Christmas Holidays. Hermione took her usual seat next to Neville, and the two chatted quietly while they waited for the entirety of the staff to enter the room. Snape sat on her other side, and she spared a glance st him before turning back to Neville. Things had been tense between them, strictly professional. It had been a month since the night they drank together, he had stopped waking her from her nightmares, and had stopped being cordial with her.

"What do you reckon this is about?" Neville asked, leaning closer to her. She shrugged and eyed the Headmistress as she walked into the staff room. She greeted a few professors before taking her seat. She sat quietly until the room became silent enough to hear a quill drop.

"Thank you all for joining me." She said, smoothing down her robes. "I have made arrangements for an event for all staff members on Christmas Eve. Before Dumbledore became Headmaster, it was done away with but I think it's time for us to bring it back."

"Do you mean the annual Christmas Party?" Professor Sinstra asked her, and McGonagall smiled a little. Hermione heard Snape groan softly beside her.

"I do, yes." She said, and Hermione and Neville looked at eachother in surprise. "It will be in the Room of Requirement on Christmas Eve."

"Headmistress?" Neville asked, raising his hand a little. She nods to him, allowing the interruption.

"What about the students?" He asks.

"I have asked the house elves to watch after them for the day, and they have agreed. As most of the students will be remaining in the castle, the Elves will be roaming freely and watching over them. I encourage everyone to bring food of your choice, as the elves will likely be too busy to cook. You may also bring an escort if you choose, including someone outside of the castle, though you may not have a student as an escort. And if that is all, meeting adjourned and I look forward to seeing you all on Christmas Eve." She said, looking around the room before standing and leaving the room.

* * *

Severus was sitting at his desk when he heard a knock on the door. He sighed and set down his quill, he was nearly finished grading anyway. He straightened the graded papers a little before clearing his throat.

"Enter." He said, and he watched as his apprentice entered the room.

She walked to his desk without a word and set down her essay for the week. It was the last day of classes, and Severus had hoped that he was nearly done with grading. He glanced at the paper, raising a brow as he saw what potion she had undertaken the last week. He read it over quickly as she stood in front of his desk.

"Is there something else I can help you with Miss Granger?" He asked, still staring down at the paper in front of him.

"Well… Sir, I was wondering if…" She trailed off and became silent until he looked up at her. "Well, I was wondering if I would be working over the break, sir?" She asked, and he sighed as he looked back down at the work in front of him.

"I think not. You should continue to work on your project, but otherwise.. No." He said, setting her paper aside and turning his attention back to the last few pages of schoolwork in front of him.

He looked up as she sat down in the chair in front of him. She pulled the papers that sat in front of him toward her and picked up a quill. He raised his eyebrows and stared at her as she began to mark on the papers.

"Miss Granger?" He asked, she glanced up at him and he stared pointedly at the pages. "What do you think you are doing?" He asked. She sighed and turned back to her self appointed task.

"Grading. I thought that would be obvious." She answered, and he bit back a growl in his throat as she talked back to him.

"Why?" He asked, his teeth clenched, and she rolled her eyes.

"You know as well as I do that when I help you it passes by twice as fast." She muttered, shaking her head as she finished a paper and wrote a grade on it before setting it aside. They sat in silence as they graded, though Severus tried to ignore her presence. She still remained sitting when they finished grading and not even the sound of a scratching quill disrupted the silence.

"Miss Granger… You're excused." He stated, standing and gesturing to the door. She looked at him for a full minute before nodding and leaving the room.

Severus sat down, leaning back in his chair, and ran a hand through his hair. He pulled the papers she had been working on toward him and read through them, noting that she had made sure to make it seem like he had graded them. He slowly read through them and chuckled at some of the comments that she had written on them. She had taken so much care to sound like him on paper. If she kept this on, she would make a fantastic professor.

He thought back over the last month, he had made sure to put distance between them after that night. He should never had become friendly with her. He was her master, she his apprentice. He should never have allowed them to become more than that. He had brewed amortenia at least once a week since that night, just to smell it. Ever since he had first brewed the potion, it had smelled of vanilla, grass, the ocean. It had smelled like Lily. It had changed, he had been sure that he had somehow messed up the potion the last time he had brewed it. He followed the instructions, every single line, and yet the smell was the same as it had been that first sixth year class. It smelled like _her_.

Hermione was having a hard time sleeping, her nightmares had come back full swing, and she had given up on writing about them. This one had been no different, but she couldn't bring herself to go back to sleep. It was midnight, she kept looking at her watch hoping that it would suddenly be morning. The staff party was today, she wanted to get some sleep. Giving up on the hope of sleep, Hermione stood and pulled on a set of robes. She walked to her door and walked into the hallway, closing it gently behind her. She turned and jumped, Snape was standing there, watching her with his arms crossed.

"Professor- erm, sir." She stammered, her heart pounding harshly against her chest.

"Miss Granger." He said, uncrossing his arms and taking a step closer to her. "What are you doing, wandering the halls?" He asked, and she scoffed.

"I would hardly say I've been wandering sir. I just stepped out of my room." She said. He stared at her, his eyebrows raised, until she sighed. "I couldn't sleep, I was going to go find Neville." She said, and he tilted his head slightly.

"And why were you going to go find Mister Longbottom?" He asked her, and she looked away from him.

"He… he's the only one I could think of to talk to." She whispered, looking down at her feet.

"Talk to?" He asked for clarification. She met his gaze and sucked in a deep breath.

"Nightmare." She said softly. "And he cares." She added, and she watched as he sighed and walked past her, opening the door to her chambers. He gestured for her to enter, and he followed behind her. He snapped the door shut behind him as she sat down on her bed. He walked over and took a seat in the chair next to her bed and crossed one leg over the other.

"Your nightmares are keeping you up?" He asked, concern dripping from his voice.

"Yes." She said, crossing her arms.

"Why wouldn't you find me?" He asked, and she laughed.

"Why, would you even care?" She asked, glaring at him.

"Hermione…" He paused after saying her name. "How many times have I woken you up from your nightmares?" He asked her, and after a moment she realized that he wasn't being rhetorical.

"A lot." she mumbled, and the sides of his mouth ticked up a little. "But you haven't exactly been around this past month." She said, raising her brows at him. They stared at each other for a long while, until finally he sighed and shook his head.

"Fine." He said, uncrossing his legs and planting them firmly on the ground. She watched him, running her eyes over him as he seemed to gather his thoughts. "I.. I was out of order. I let things get out of hand, you are my apprentice. And while I care about your well being, I should never have offered you a drink that night. It.. it got out of hand. It's never been easy for me to open up, trust people. I was a spy for twenty years. This… not having to lie or choose sides, is all new. There have been three people in my life that I have been open and honest to… two of them are dead. The people I care about and trust die…" He said, staring at her evenly.

"You know…" She stood and looked at him, her brow furrowed. "That's all in the past… It doesn't matter anymore." She said softly. He looked away from her and down to his hands.

"It matters." He said defiantly. She shook her head and sighed.

"Why?" She asked.

"What if it happens again?" He asked gently, and it took her a moment to realize what he was talking about.

"What if you are going to have to choose between two sides and people die?" She asked, and her heart hurt when she saw the look on his face. He didn't have to answer.

"It's not going to happen again. And if it does… Well just make sure to choose the same side I do." She smiled, and he let out a chuckle.

"Of course." He said, inclining his head to her. She sat back down on her bed behind her and rubbed her face with her hands.

"I am sorry. About that night." She said. "I should never have pushed you and asked all those questions." She said, and he nodded in thanks. "I should have never drank either… I made a fool out of myself." She cringed as she said it.

"There's no reason for you to be sorry. I could have told you to bugger off." He said, and she laughed.

"You probably should have." She said, smiling. They sat there for a moment before Hermione blurted out, "Will you escort me to the party?" Her eyes went wide and the man across from her sighed.

"Why?" He asked, and Hermione briefly thought about how many times that question had been asked in the last twenty minutes.

"Well, I suggested to Neville that we could go together, but he already asked Hannah Abbot to come." She said, and he nodded.

"Okay." He agreed, and her mouth fell open in shock.

"Really?" She asked, and he nodded.

"You're my apprentice. It wouldn't be improper for me to escort you." He said, and she nodded. He leaned back in his chair and gazed evenly at her, he laced his fingers together and she could tell he was fighting a smile.

"I have a question for you." He said, and she bit her lip.

"Okay…" She said slowly.

"You asked me why I took you on as an apprentice. Why did you want to be my apprentice after.. well, after everything?" He asked.

"Oh… Well… I love learning. It never mattered who was teaching me. But you are one of the greatest potioneers of your time. I knew that being your apprentice would make a difference in my life. I knew that you were on our side, it took a long time for me to realize that, but I did. That night, I worked so hard to save you. I just wasn't done." She said. He stood from his chair and took a step forward. He paused and looked at her before nodding.

"Thank you." He said softly, turning and leaving the room.

* * *

Hermione slept after he left the room until around noon of that day when a knock at her door woke her. She stood, grumbling, and opened it scowling. When she realized who it was, her eyes went wide and she quickly brushed her hair out of her face.

"Oh, hello sir." She said, and he raised his eyebrows in amusement as he held out a steaming mug to her. It really was cold down here in the dungeons.

"Good morning, well afternoon, Miss Granger." He greeted her as she took the mug. "I thought that you might want some coffee." He said, and she nodded before taking a sip.

"Thank you sir." She said, opening the door wider for him to step inside. He did and she shut the door behind him. "I'm sorry sir, but was there something you needed?" She asked, setting her mug down and grabbing a set of robes.

"Well I remembered after the staff meeting you were talking to Mister Longbottom about baking something for this party tonight, I thought you might want to be woken up so you had sufficient time." He explained as she walked into her private bathroom and dressed herself.

"Thank you sir. Wait, what time is it?" She asked, stepping out of the bathroom in her clean robes.

"Half past twelve." He said, and she let out a soft curse.

"Well, thank you for waking me up." She said, picking up her mug and taking another drink. "I should get started then." She said, taking her mug with her as she walked to her door. She held it open until her master walked out of the room, and she followed after him.

"Would you like any assistance?" He asked, and she coughed into her mug. "Miss Granger, are you alright?" He asked, raising an eyebrow and taking a step toward her in concern.

"Yes sir, I'm fine. Thank you, but erm… no I don't need any help." She said, giving him a smile and walking away.


	16. Chapter 16

He stood in front of his mirror, staring at himself with a scowl on his face. He always thought that suits were outrageous, but Minerva had insisted on it. He also hated wearing white, as he was so pale it made him look ill. He scowled at the crisp white shirt before grabbing the suit coat and sliding it on. He pushed his hair back so that it wasn't falling in even sheets on either side of his face, and a small smile played on his lips. He glanced at his watch and sighed when he realized he needed to meet his apprentice in the Entrance Hall.

The only sound he heard as he walked was the click of his shoes on the stone floor, he felt beyond awkward walking through the castle dressed as though he was attending a Ball. He hadn't even dressed like this for the Yule Ball four years ago. The lengths he would go to make Minerva happy. He shook his head as he neared his destination, and knowing that he would be running into students, he cleared his face and plastered on his emotionless mask.

He rounded the corner and froze when he laid eyes on his apprentice. She was standing in the middle of the hall, speaking to a student, and neither noticed him as he froze. He took in the sight of her, she was wearing a floor length elegant gown in black. It looked as though the stars had fallen on her, and they were winking at him. She had left her curly hair down, and it looked surprisingly calm without the fumes of the potions room. The curls cascaded down her back, falling down to her waist, and he took a moment to appreciate all the different colors that her hair really held. It wasn't just brown, it had golden honey dripping in it, fire playing in the light of the candles, and a little bit of midnight black bleeding through. His eyes trailed down the curves that the dress hugged, it was only when he heard footsteps that he tore his eyes away from her. He took a slow step toward her, and the student she was talking to took notice of him and quickly excused herself.

"Miss Granger." He greeted her, bowing slightly. She smiled and inclined her head toward him.

"Good evening sir." She said happily, admiring his attire. He smoothed his hands down the jacket, feeling oddly under dressed standing next to her.

"Did you not make anything for tonight?" He asked as he took in her empty hands.

"Oh, I did." She said, taking a step closer to him. "I sent them on ahead." She explained, and he nodded in understanding. "Well, shall we?" She asked, and he quickly offered her the crook of his arm. She placed her hand gingerly on his arm and they walked in a companionable silence up to the Room of Requirement.

Hermione was enjoying a glass of mead with Neville and Hannah when he leaned toward her. She leaned closer to him and turned her head slightly to hear him better.

"Snape isn't taking his eyes off of you Hermione. It's a bit creepy." He said, his breath tickling her ear.

She straightened and looked at him in surprise. He nodded slightly and she followed his gaze to where her master was standing. He was indeed watching her, a glass of what she could only assume was Firewhisky in his hand. He averted his eyes and turned to the Headmistress when he noticed her watching him, and she felt a slight blush fill her cheeks.

"He's not watching me." She muttered, turning back to Neville.

"He was, and he's back at it." He whispered, Hermione looked at Hannah, who nodded with a sheepish grin on her face.

"Well, if he is it's probably only because he's worried." She said, and sighed when she saw Neville's concern. "Nightmares." She said under her breath, and he nodded with understanding.

"Have you tried these biscuits? They're amazing." Hannah said, steering the conversation away from nightmares. Hermione grinned and nodded.

"My mum's recipe actually." She said, and Neville and Hannah both looked at her, amazed.

"Blimey Hermione, never took you as someone who could cook." Neville said, and she laughed.

"Nev, I spend all day cooking. It may not be traditional, but brewing is the same concept." She said, and he thought about this for a moment.

"So what does that make me if you're a cook?" He asked, and she grinned wickedly.

"A gardener." She replied, and Hannah burst out in loud laughter as Neville chuckled.

"Fair." He said, taking a drink of his Firewhisky. She sipped happily on her mead, glancing back at her master as she did so. She quickly faced Neville once more, as he was looking at her with an expression she had never seen on his face. She could feel blood rush to her face as she felt his gaze on her still. She attempted to distract herself by talking to Neville and Hannah, and eventually she had enough alcohol in her blood for it to work.

Seeing her talk to Longbottom made him feel something that he had not felt in quite some time. It was in the pit of his stomach, clouding his brain the more he drank. It wasn't the Firewhisky, but rather jealousy. He was jealous that Longbottom was making her laugh, that he was the one fetching her drinks if she ran out. He could feel his face getting red, the heat of jealousy running through him. It was only when Minerva touched his arm that he realized what he was feeling, and what that meant.

"Severus.. are you alright? You look as though something is eating you up inside." The older witch asked gently. He pulled his gaze from his star-kissed apprentice and looked at the Headmistress.

"I-" He felt the words catch in his throat and he cleared it before drinking the last drops of alcohol in his glass. "I can't do this again." He said, pain seeping into his words.

"Severus?" Minerva asked, concerned as he grabbed the table behind him and setting his glass down. He shook his head, attempting to control his emotions. He let out a shuddering breath and opened his mouth.

"Roses.. books… ink.. potions…" He said slowly.

"Severus, compose yourself. What are you talking about?" Minerva asked in a worried whisper, placing her hand on his back.

"Amortentia." He said, looking at her. "It changed."

"Oh Severus… that happens." She tried to reassure him. He sighed and grabbed her arm, pulling her to an empty corner.

"It used to be Lily." He hissed, and Minerva stared at him concerned.

"Severus… do you know who it is?" She asked slowly. He ran a hand over his face and sighed.

"I can't do this again." He said, avoiding her question. She eyed him suspiciously, waiting for a proper answer. She glanced around to make sure that nobody was listening, then leaned in close to him.

"Severus, tell me it isn't a student." She said, her tone hard.

"Of course not Minerva." He snapped, snatching a bottle of Firewhisky off of a nearby table and taking the lid off. He gulped some down, relishing the burn, and glared at the room.

"Oh, well… good." She said, straightening and looking at the bottle in his hand. He held it to her, offering her some, and she shook her head.

"Happy Christmas Minerva." He muttered, turning the bottle upside down, his lips around the opening.

His head was throbbing as he opened his eyes on Christmas Day, he groaned as he sat up in bed. He slowly stood from his bed, the cold floor shocking his feet. He pulled on his robes slowly, every movement hurting as he dressed himself. He slowly walked out of his chambers and to his classroom, where he always kept extra hangover cure potions.

When he finally found one, he downed it immediately and proceeded to hunt down a pepperup potion. He had to brew some more, he made a mental note as he slowly drank the last one he had in stock. He turned to his desk, yearning to sit until the potions kicked in. His mind still felt fuzzy as his eyed landed on a parcel that sat on his desk.

His brow furrowed and he reached out for it. He pulled his hand back, suspicious. He hadn't gotten a Christmas present in a long time. He leaned over and squinted at the package. There was a note taped to it, and he gingerly picked it up. He flipped the paper open, and recognized the handwriting immediately. Surprised, he picked up the heavy parcel and gently peeled the paper off. His mouth fell open when his gaze was met with a large book. He opened the cover to the title page, and he realized exactly what he was holding. His apprentice had gifted him a first edition of Potion Masters of the Ages.

Suddenly, he sat heavily in his chair as the memories from the night before returned to him. He groaned and rubbed his face, trying to think. His amortentia smelled like Hermione Granger… He was in love with her. He couldn't do it. He had loved Lily and he had messed it all up with her. He couldn't go through that again. He would just.. he would just pretend that he wasn't. He would ignore it. He would ignore it until it went away.

He could _not_ be in love with his apprentice.


	17. Chapter 17

He couldn't just pretend that they weren't only colleagues though, they had been to open with each other already. After thinking on it for a long time, he decided that he could be friends with her. He had only seen her a handful of times in the lab over the Christmas Holidays. She was always working very hard, they would have a short conversation where she would say she was close to finishing her potion, and he would watch her for a little while before he would leave the room. It was the last day before classes started again, he was expecting his apprentice to come into the room at any minute, and in the meantime he was writing down some lesson plans. His quill skirted across the paper when his door slammed open and his apprentice strode quickly to his desk.

"Miss Granger." He said slowly, looking up at her and noticing how excited she looked.

"Sir.. I.. I did it!" She exclaimed, and he raised his eyebrows.

"Excuse me?" He asked, and she took a couple deep breaths, her cheeks turning a pink tinge.

"I made it work." She said, and at his look of confusion she let out an exasperated sigh. "I need to show you something." She said, suddenly looking nervous.

"Okay.." He said slowly. His eyes went wide as she lifted the hem of her shirt. "Miss Granger!" He exclaimed, his eyes stuck on the strip of milky white skin she had exposed.

"Please sir." She pleaded, and he glared at her as she slowly lifted her shirt. She stopped right beneath where he assumed her bra would be. He let out an inaudible breath, and stared at her bared stomach. He admired the smooth skin, her flat and lightly toned abdomen.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" He asked, unable to pull his eyes away. He felt his cheeks turning red.

"Look!" She said, splaying one hand high on her ribcage. His eyes went wide as a part of her bra showed, and he finally tore his eyes away from her and stared down at his desk. He splayed his hands out on the wood, attempting to ground himself.

"It's gone!" She said, and he forced himself to look at her face.

"What is?" He asked, curious.

"When Dolohov hit me with that curse fifth year, it left a purple scar. I just tested the newest batch on it and it's gone!" She said, lifting her shirt further and looking down at her own ribcage. Severus sucked in a breath and looked up at the ceiling.

"Miss Granger." He said, glancing at her. He saw that she hadn't heard him and let out a low groan. "Hermione." He choked out, and when he glanced at her again, she looked at him.

"Yeah?" She asked him.

"You can replace your garment." He stated, and he fought a smile as she blushed deeply and lowered her shirt quickly.

"Sorry." She muttered.

"Don't be." He whispered. When her eyes went wide, he cleared his throat and focused. "So, it worked?" He asked, attempting to drive the conversation back on point.

"It did." She said, sounding relieved.

"What did you change?" He asked.

"I increased the dittany and added Pheonix tears." She said excitedly.

"Pheonix tears." He said in awe. She nodded, smiling widely. "You're brilliant." He said quietly. She blushed and smiled.

"And you're sure it will work?" He asked. She nodded.

"I was wondering if I could do you?" She asked, and his eyes went wide.

"What?" He asked, sounding strangled.

"Your neck? I brought an extra vial." She said, pulling it out of her pocket and holding it up. He nodded and let out a sigh.

"Right, of course." He said, she looked hopefully at him and raised her brows a little. "Oh. Right." He said. He shrugged off his outer robes and his long fingers raised and unbuttoned the top three buttons on his shirt. She walked over to him and gently uncorked the vial. She poured some onto her fingers, and held it out a little.

"May I?" She asked, and he pulled the collar of his shirt down and exposed the side of his neck to her. She slowly extended her hand and placed her fingers on her neck. He shivered as he felt her touch, and he felt goose pimples spread along his skin. "I'm sorry, I know it's cold." She said softly, massaging the paste into his neck. She withdrew her fingers and let out a sigh.

"Done already?" He asked, turning to look at her.

"Sorry, it has to sit." She said, giving him a small smile. He nodded and turned back to his desk, he felt his heart pounding against his chest, and took a couple deep breaths to calm himself. He picked up his quill and was relieved to find his hand was steady. He wrote a few lines when she touched him again. He startled and jumped as a cloth touched his neck.

"Oh, I'm sorry… It's time to take it off." She said, looking worried. He nodded and tilted his neck. She gently cleaned it off, and gasped happily. "Yes!" She whispered.

"It works?" He asked, knowing the answer already.

"It did." She affirmed, transfiguring an empty vial into a small hand mirror and holding it in front of him. He gently took it from her grasp and tilted his neck to look at where his bite scars used to be. His mouth fell open at the sight of his unblemished neck. His hand quickly slapped his neck, stinging a little as he pulled at the skin, searching for the scars.

"You are brilliant Hermione." He whispered in shock, turning to her. She was still leaning close to him, gazing at her handiwork. She smiled and locked eyes with him, they stared at each other for a moment until her eyes flicked down. Severus realized that she had just looked at his lips, and he cleared his throat as he stood.

* * *

Hermione was so happy that it had worked. So much of what she had done was to help the man that was in front of her right now. She stared at his neck until she noticed he had turned to look at her. Her eyes travelled up his face and she locked eyes with him, his dark chocolate irises meeting her cinnamon brown. They stared at each other for a long moment, and Hermione felt her heart begin to race. She took a deep breath through her nose and took in the scent of potions, parchment, old books, fire, and when he let out a sharp breath she could smell toothpaste. Her mouth fell open into a small 'o' and her eyes flicked down to his lips. She thought fleetingly about what it would be like to kiss him.

She was startled out of her thoughts when he stood suddenly and stepped away from her. She snapped her mouth shut and looked him in the face as he looked everywhere in the room but her.

"Congratulations Miss Granger. I.. I'm impressed with your work." He said formally. Her brows furrowed together a little before she nodded.

"Thank you sir." She said, clasping her hands in front of her.

"I daresay that you will be ready to sit in front of your Masters Board this summer." He said, turning to his desk and shuffling some papers. "Of course, you will need to compile all of your notes from your research into a paper." He told her, and her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"This summer? Really?" She asked.

"Of course. As I said, you are brilliant. I knew you would finish your apprenticeship early, though I never thought you would finish this early." He said, and she watched as he mindlessly moved around the room.

"Sir…" She began, and he looked over at her, his eyes wide. "Am I still your apprentice?" She asked softly.

"If you wish." He spoke the words softly, and she nodded. "Very well. I will make all the arrangements for the board." He said, and she bit her lip gently.

"Thank you sir." She said, he seemed to realize that his shirt was still a little unbuttoned and he quickly redid the buttons before walking over and grabbing his cloak. He threw it over his shoulders and turned back to her.

"Is there anything else Herm- Miss Granger?" He asked, correcting himself in the middle of saying her name.

"No sir… That's all…" She said. "Well actually, do you still want me to be in classes?" She asked, and he stared at her for a moment. She saw his face soften slightly, and her heart pounded so loud she was sure he would hear it.

"Yes." He said, and she nodded. "But now… I need to go see the Headmistress." He said, and she nodded, walking to the door and letting herself out.

He made his way quickly to the Headmistress' office, spitting out the password and skipping steps up the spiral staircase. He knocked hard on the door and was greeted with an affirmation to enter.

"Minerva." He said in greeting, sitting in a chair without prompt.

"Severus. How nice to see you. I hope it's under good circumstances?" She asked, setting aside a book she had been studying and eyeing him over her glasses.

"Hermione has finished her apprenticeship." He said, not bothering with formalities.

"Are you meaning to tell me that Miss Granger has quit?" She asked, concerned.

"No, of course not. She finished her apprenticeship. She has gone above and beyond, applying all of herself to her work. She has brewed every potion to perfection, sometimes brewing multiples in one week. She has perfected the craft and she has made a potion that heals cursed scars." He said, and Minerva stared at him in surprise.

"It heals scars?" She asked, and he nodded.

"Do you remember the curse she suffered at the Department of Mysteries?" He asked, and after thinking for a moment, the headmistress nodded.

"It left that horrible purple scar, did it not?" She asked, and he nodded in return. "How can you be sure it worked?" She asked, and he let out a frustrated sigh.

"She showed me." He said, and she raised her eyebrows at him.

"If I recall, that scar was high on her ribcage. She showed you?" She asked.

"She lifted her shirt and showed me that it was gone." He said, thinking about her flawless skin that was hidden under her clothes.

"Are you telling me that Miss Granger _exposed_ herself to you?" Minerva asked, standing suddenly.

"What? No Minerva. Merlin, she only lifted her shirt enough for me to tell that the scar was no longer there." He explained, and she let out a sigh of relief and sat down again. "And this." He said, pulling the collar of his shirt down and exposing his neck to her. She gasped and stared, knowing that he had purple scars before where clear milky skin was now.

"She did that?" She asked, and he nodded, fixing his collar. "It's only been half a year…" She trailed off, staring at him.

"I know." He muttered. "Now… She's going to leave." He said, he couldn't keep his misery from his voice as he spoke.

"I… It's her, isn't it?" She asked, gazing at him.

"What?"

"The amortenia, it's her." She stated, and at his tortured look she sighed. "Oh Severus." She muttered.

"I don't need you to be sorry for me." He snapped.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Because, it's not real. Is it?" He sighed.

"What do you mean it's not real?" She asked, and he shook his head.

"She is my apprentice. Of course I care about her… that's all." He said, trying to make himself believe the words.

"Is that all? Is that really all it would take to make it change? Did your amortentia change with your last apprentice?" She asked, and he sneered.

"Of course not." He said, his lip curling.

"Then why in the world would it be different now?" She asked, crossing her arms.

* * *

Hermione was sitting on her bed, staring at a page in her dream journal. She stared at the long handwriting that adorned the page, knowing it was his. She ran her fingers along the page and thought about the man that had written the words. She had spent a lot of time thinking about him as of late. She thought about earlier that day, how she had been drawn to him, how she had thought about how it would feel to kiss him.

She looked over at the chair next to her bed, where he sat when she was having a nightmare. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she had grown to care about him these last few months. Maybe she had cared about him before, maybe that was why she had worked so hard to save him.

She, along with half the girls in her third year class, had a crush on him many years ago. They had all loved the way he spoke, had loved his voice and the way he taught. She had gotten over that, hadn't she? Of course she had, her amortentia had smelled of Ron in her sixth year. She wondered idly when it had shifted to smell like Severus. She loved working with him, she thought to herself. She loved how passionate he was, how he was always ready to help her if she needed it. She loved how he would be gentle with her when she had a nightmare, writing for her when she was shaking too bad to do it herself. He would bring her coffee if he knew that she would need it, and she knew that he would occasionally leave her books on potions she was studying if she was stuck on a tough part. He let her work with him, not just for him, letting her grade papers.

She trusted the man more than anyone else in her life right now. Harry had written her a couple times since the intervention, but in the last letter he had made it more than clear that he didn't want to talk to her if she was still his apprentice. She sat up quickly in bed as a realization hit her.

She was in love with Severus Snape.


	18. Chapter 18

Hermione had stayed the rest of the year as Severus' apprentice, assisting in teaching his classes. She had been worried that once she had finished her experiment that he would immediately set up her Master's board and make her leave. But instead, he had put off the arrangements and had even let her take charge in a couple classes. He had also allowed her to sit in on the exams, and later let her help grade them. He had waited to tell her that her board would be the day after classes until exams ended.

"But that's only a few days away!" She had exclaimed, looking livid.

"I am aware Hermione." He had said, they had started calling each other by their given names a while ago. Hermione had insisted, claiming that they would be colleagues soon enough. Really she just loved the feel of his names coming off of her lips.

"Why didn't you tell me before Severus?" She asked, biting her lip. "I have to study!" She had yelled, jumping out of her chair.

"Hermione." He had said, trying to get her attention. She hadn't paid any attention to him and had made to walk out of the door. "Miss Granger." He said a little louder.

"What?" She asked, exasperated.

"Calm yourself. You don't need to study." He said, she had rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Yes I do! This is the Masters Board!" Hermione yelled.

"Relax." He said, gesturing to the seat she had been sitting in before. She stared at him as she slowly sat down and raised her eyebrows, waiting for an explanation. "Would you like to know something?" He asked, folding his hands together.

"Okay." She said, irritated.

"I checked your test scores. You excel at surprise tests and quizzes. You score lower on tests you knew about." He informed her, and her eyebrows knitted together.

"What?" She asked, and he nodded.

"I chose not to tell you until the last moment so that you don't go and over stress about it and botch it at the last moment." He said, she was breathing heavily through her nose, still upset. The faint smell of the man across from her helped her to calm down and focus again, and she nodded.

"I'm sorry." She said, looking to the side, avoiding his gaze.

"Are you ready for graduation?" Severus asked, she was grateful that he had redirected the conversation.

"Yes sir." She said with a smile.

"You will be seeing Miss Weasley graduate." He said, and her heart skipped a little. She and Ginny no longer considered themselves friends, Hermione would be presenting any awards given and she knew that Ginny had won one in Defense. "Are you really ready?" He asked again.

"Yes." She said again, a little uncertain. He raised an eyebrow at her, but when she held his gaze he shook his head and turned away.

"You won't be my apprentice anymore." He said after a moment, looking around his office. She sighed and stood. She slowly walked over to a small table and waved her hand, a decanter and glasses appearing on it. She gestured to it and he nodded. She grabbed the decanter and poured two glasses, giving one to him.

"I know." She said, sitting down again. Neither touched their glasses as they sat. "I erm…" She began, and he raised his eyebrows. "Will I still be staying at Spinner's end?" She asked suddenly, his eyes went wide for a moment. He cleared his throat and looked down at his glass.

"Why would you want to stay at Spinner's end if you aren't my apprentice?" He asked, and she took in a deep breath.

"It's just… I have nowhere else to go." She said, taking the smallest of sips from her glass. He was gazing at her evenly, she looked up and he gave a singular nod. "Thank you." She said softly.

* * *

"Do you think It's wise?" Minerva asked him.

"I think it's a brilliant idea Minerva." He said, and she smiled. She made a small mark on a paper in front of her before looking back up at him.

"Have you gotten the results of her Board yet?" She asked him, and he snorted.

"Of course, you know it was unanimous." He said, leaning back in his chair.

"How is she settling in?" Minerva asked.

"It's unnerving… I think she has settled in much better than I have." He said, and she tilted her head a little. "She seems to.. fit." He elaborated, and Minerva raised her eyebrows.

"So. When are you going to tell her?" Minerva asked him, and he sighed.

"When I go home I suppose. Though I daresay that I might have to endure a hug because of this." He said, curling his lip.

"You know you don't have to pretend. Not when it's just us." She said, tilting her head down and looking at him over her glasses. He let out a sigh and pushed back his hair.

"Okay." He said, standing and grabbing a thick envelope off of the desk. "I should head back." He said, and she nodded.

"Very well then Severus. I look forward to seeing you later in the summer." She said, standing as he made his way to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder.

"Goodbye Minerva." He said, giving her a rare, small smile.

He came to a stop on the hearth of his own fireplace, stomping the soot off of his boots and shaking his cloak after he landed. He took a deep breath, and was pleased to find that his house now faintly smelled like the woman that had been his apprentice. He smiled a little at the realization.

"Severus? Is that you? Could you come here?" Came a voice from the library, and his smile widened as he walked toward the largest room of the house. He quickly wiped off the smile right as he got to the room. He stood in the doorway for a moment, taking in the familiar sight of the young woman sitting at the desk with books strewn all around her. He cleared his throat and she looked up at him.

"Hello." He said, and she waved him over to her. He made his way over to the desk and looked over her shoulder at the book she was reading. "What are we looking at?" He asked, and she pointed to a line in the book.

"Look! I'm positive I messed that up during the board." She said, and he shook his head.

"No you didn't." He said, and she sighed.

"Yes I did Severus." She said defiantly. He continued to look at the page as he set the envelope down over the page. She looked up at him, her brow furrowed. He raised his brows innocently as he stood up straight. He watched as the realization of what was in front of her dawned on her, and she snatched up the envelope. She tore it open, and Severus was nervous that she was going to rip the pages that held her results on them. Her mouth fell open as she read them. She looked up at him, questioning whether what she was reading was real.

"Minerva was wondering if you would like to teach potions this upcoming year?" He asked suddenly.

"What?!" She said, outraged.

"Not taking over for me." He amended, and she looked confused for a moment. "Working with me. Teaching the same classes, we would just be trading days." He explained, and her face lit up. She jumped out of her seat and threw her arms around his neck. He took a deep breath and felt heat climb into his cheeks. He turned his head slightly and buried his face into her curls. She squeezed him once, indicating that she was going to let go, and pulled back. She seemed to change her mind at the last minute and turned her face a little, her lips landed on the corner of his mouth. He pulled back quickly, his heart thumping hard as she turned back to the letter sitting on the desk. She didn't seem to realize what had transpired, but his hand went to where her lips had touched.

Severus poured them each a glass of Firewhisky, a habit they had picked up after she had moved in, and brought them to the library. She was curled up on the couch, reading some sort of muggle novel. He had changed into a loose button up shirt and jeans, and her eyes widened as he motioned to the seat next to her. She moved her feet and took one of the glasses from him, and he sat down next to her. He resisted the urge to put his hand on her leg, and instead peered at the book in her hands.

"What are you reading?" He asked. He noticed that a deep blush set in her cheeks as she showed him the cover. "Brokeback Mountain? What is that?" He asked, and she laughed.

"I… erm… Its ah…" She handed him the book to let him read the back. He did so, and his eyebrows raised high as he read the synopsis.

"I see." He said, handing the book back to her as though it was a bomb. She slowly took it back and looked away from him. He took a sip of his drink, attempting to ease the tension. "I used to read muggle books." He said conversationally.

"Not like this, I'm sure." She said with a small laugh. She set the book aside and twisted to face him.

"Actually, my mother collected muggle romance novels. They were all we had in the house. I would smuggle them into my room when my father wasn't looking." He said, and she tilted her head. "I was eight." He smiled and drank some Firewhisky. "None of them were quite like that though, they were much more… traditional." He stated, and she nodded.

"Oh of course sir." she said, drinking out of her glass. "You.. you grew up here, didn't you?" She asked, and he nodded silently. "If you didn't have any books… why was there a library?" She asked, and he chuckled.

"My father was a mean drunk." He explained, and she listened patiently. "We had this room.. for my mother whenever he got too violent or when he brought another woman home." He said, and Hermione covered her mouth with one hand.

"No." She said softly, and he nodded sadly. "Why have you stayed here?" She asked, he sighed and looked at her as he thought of an answer.

"This… It's really just a place for me to store my possessions while I am teaching." He said, and she bit her cheek.

"It's not home for you?" She asked, and he shook his head.

"Maybe if there was a reason for me to consider it home…" He said gently, watching her. He stared at her as he brought his drink to his lips again, and he was pleased to see a deep red color take over her cheeks. When he pulled the glass away, he licked a drop of Firewhisky off his lip. She quickly looked away from him, and he took a deep breath.

"Miss Granger.." He started, and she looked over at him.

"Oh, is it no longer 'Hermione' then?" She asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Hermione." He said softly, and she stood up from her place on the couch. She stared at him for a moment before putting down her glass.

"Severus… I should go to bed." She said, and he watched as she paused in front of him. "Thank you." She said, he knew that she meant her Board results. He smiled, and she leaned down, placing a lingering kiss on his cheek. He held hid breath until she left the room, not trusting his instincts if he let himself breath while she was next to him.

* * *

She couldn't breath as she left the room, she fell against the hallway wall, and took in a deep breath. She was shaking, and she knew that her cheeks were a bright red. She pressed the backs of her hands to her cheeks, hoping to cool them off.

"Oh Merlin." she whispered, her eyes wide as she thought about what she had just done. She had just kissed him. Sure it was only on the cheek, but that was extreme when it came to Severus.

She heard him set down his glass, and peeked back inside of the library. He was sitting on the couch, his eyes wide and he had a hand on his cheek. She bit her lip and moved out of his line of sight, she really should head to bed.

Hermione took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as she walked to her bedroom. When she entered, she had a fleeting thought that this could have been Severus' old room. If he had the old master bedroom, then this would have been his room. She sat down on her bed and flopped down. She heard steps outside of her room, and she sat up straight. Her eyes were wide as she heard him talking to himself.

"It's Hermione… Miss Granger…" He paced in front of the door. "You're apprentice… It was… nothing." She heard him say as she held her breath. She let out a puff of air when she heard his footsteps go to where his room was. She closed her eyes, thinking about how his lips might feel on hers. Her eyes snapped open when she remembered that he was a skilled Occlumens. He probably knew what she was thinking. Her eyes went wide when she heard a shout of laughter coming from his room. She quickly cleared her mind, knowing that it would be pointless if he had already read her thoughts, but knowing it would stop him from doing it again.

"Oh Merlin…" She muttered, rubbing her face and wondering how she was going to do this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: B.T.W. Yes, Brokeback Mountain was released in '97, so Hermione would have been able to read it in the summer of '99. Research :)


	19. Chapter 19

Hermione was in the personal lab that Severus had in his home. She spent most of her time either in the lab or in the library, and at the moment she was brewing an order of potions for St. Mungo's. Severus had ducked out of the house to buy some extra ingredients, leaving her alone in the house. She jumped when she heard a tapping on the window, she looked up and saw a large tawny owl and let out a sigh of relief. She placed a stasis charm over the potion and let in the owl, which dropped a copy of the Daily Prophet into her hands. Just as she read the headline, she heard the door open and close.

"Severus, is that you?" She called out, she slowly pulled out her wand when she didn't hear an answer. She bit her lip, her heart thudding, as she heard footsteps coming toward the lab. She raised her wand, taking a deep breath.

"Hermione?" Severus asked as he walked into the room, she let out a breath and lowered her wand, turning and pushing her hair out of her face.

"Sorry, I called out and you didn't say anything." She sighed, holding up the paper. "Have you seen this?" She asked, and he raised an eyebrow as he grabbed the paper from her. His face paled and she stared at him, waiting for a reaction.

"This is today's?" He asked, and she nodded. "I knew that they shouldn't have replaced the dementors with aurors. Sure, they switched sides but it was damn hard to break out of Azkaban." He snarled, tossing the paper aside. "Now there's Death Eaters out." He said, and Hermione was slightly frightened to see that he looked angry.

"Severus?" She asked softly, taking a step toward him.

"How could they let this happen?" He asked under his breath, and she shook her head.

"Are you alright?" She asked, and he glanced at her once before walking over to the cauldron she had been working on.

"St. Mungo's?" He asked, and she nodded. With a wave of her wand, she took off the stasis charm and watched as he picked up where she had left off. He kept to himself, working on potions, until Hermione came to get him for dinner. Hermione had walked past the lab a few times, and had noticed that he had been saying the names of the Death Eaters that had escaped.

"Rowle, Goyle, Nott.." He would mutter, she had noticed that he had started up another cauldron. She wanted to help him very badly, but had a feeling that he didn't want to be bothered. She kept away from him until she had finished dinner, she had made his favorite.

"Severus, I made dinner." She said from the doorway of the lab. He looked up, and she realized that he wasn't even working on a potion, but staring at his Dark Mark. She slowly walked into the room, and knelt down next to where he sat on the floor. He stared down at his arm, and she watched his face as he touched the mark. Hermione thought for a moment before reaching over and covering the mark with her hand.

"Severus…" She said softly, and he looked up at her. "We could try the potion…" She suggested, and his eyes widened.

"You think it'll work?" He asked hoarsely.

"I don't know Sev…" She said. "But we could try." She suggested, he opened and closed his mouth, seemed to change his mind, and nodded instead.

* * *

Hearing the old nickname that Lily had for him had stopped his train of thought. He had been ready to agree with her, to say yes. But then she had called him 'Sev'. He watched as she stood and walked to a cabinet, and pulled out a vial of the potion she had invented. He stayed still, hardly daring to breath as she walked back to him and uncorked it.

"May I?" She asked, gesturing to his arm where her hand had been just a minute ago. He opened his mouth to say yes, but the words were stuck in his throat and he nodded instead. She poured a little onto the tips of her fingers and gently used her other hand to move his hand away from the mark. He watched her face as she rubbed the potion onto the tattoo.

"I hope this works." He heard her mutter, and his lips curled up into a smile. She glanced at him and her hand stilled when she saw his face.

"Me too." He got out, and she nodded a little before breaking their eye contact. She stood and walked over to a small sink, washing her hands and grabbing a clean rag. She put some water on it before she walked back over to him.

"Let's try to get this off." She said softly, and Severus couldn't help but notice her lips. The way she bit her bottom lip as she stared at his arm, hoping that the potion would work. He blinked and flicked his eyes away from her. After a moment, the rag met his skin and she wiped off the potion slowly. He eyed her, not wanting to look at his arm. He knew that the potion worked on cursed scars, but maybe it wouldn't work on the Dark Mark, which was more of a tattoo than anything else.

"Sev…" She glanced at him, and saw that he was staring holes into her. She cleared her throat softly, and rubbed his arm with her thumb. "Severus, look." She said, and he forced his eyes down to look at his arm. He felt his eyes go wide and his mouth fall open, his heart began to beat hard against his chest and he looked up at Hermione. She was smiling, and when he looked at her she seemed to smile wider.

"Thank you." He whispered, and he watched as her cheeks turned a deep red. He brought a hand up and brushed away a curl of hair that had fallen into her face, her eyebrows ticked up a little and he took a deep breath.

"Your welcome." She replied, and before either could say anything else, she had thrown her arms around his neck, and her face was tucked into the crook of his neck. He couldn't help himself, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tight to him as they sat on the ground.

"Hermione.." He said gently. "You took it away." He muttered into her hair. She nodded her head, and he got goosebumps when he felt her lips against his neck. He gently pulled away, not wanting her to think he disliked the affection.

"Sev…" She trailed off, smiling at him. "I erm…" She looked panicked for a moment before leaning forward suddenly and kissing him. His eyes closed as she gently grabbed his face. After a moment, she jumped back and her hands flew to her mouth. He stared at her, attempting to fully understand what had just happened.

"That was…" He said, but couldn't find the words.

"I'm so sorry." She said loudly from behind her hands. "I should not have done that." She said, standing and walking quickly to the door.

"Hermione." He said, she paused for a moment but continued out of the door before he could say anything else. He stared at the door, his mouth open and his thoughts cloudy. He snapped his mouth shut and brought one hand to his neck, rubbing it gently. He brought one lip in between his teeth absentmindedly, and his heart raced a little at the realization that she had just kissed him. Hermione Granger had just kissed him. He pushed a hand through his hair, and his eyes grew wide.

"Merlin." He groaned softly.

Severus took a while to leave the room, unsure how to approach Hermione after the kiss they had. Well, after she had kissed him. He was mentally kicking himself, though he wasn't sure if it was because he allowed it to happen, or if it was because he hadn't kissed her back. When he left the room, he went to hers and knocked on the door, but she remained silent. He decided to go and eat the dinner she had made, and of course she had made lasagne. Of course she had figured out what his favorite food was.

As he ate he thought about everything that had transpired that day, Death Eaters had escaped Azkaban. Goyle and Nott were nothing much to worry about, any competent wizard could take them. Rowle however… Greyback had changed him into a Werewolf right before the battle at Hogwarts. Rowle was someone they should worry about. Hermione had taken away his greatest regret, well she had removed the evidence at least. They hadn't tried it until then because they didn't think it would work on a cursed tattoo. Severus happened to know she hadn't yet used it on her arm, it seemed as though it was something she couldn't bring herself to do. Severus understood that, she had come to terms with it being on her arm, and now she suddenly had the opportunity to remove it. It reminded her about everything that they had been through, that she could survive. They had talked about it a few times, every time she had sent out a vial to someone who asked for it.

They had also completed their order for St. Mungo's more than a week early, that would get them a small bonus from the Hospital. Severus had to twist their arm to try Hermione's potions, they had claimed someone so young wouldn't have the skill it took. It had taken Severus threatening to poison someone and having Hermione brew the antidote that they had agreed to take potions she had brewed. When they had, they requested that the two of them be their official supplier. With two of them working on the potions, the work was easy and passed by quickly.

As Severus waved his wand to have his plate wash itself, he sliced some lasagne onto a clean plate and walked to Hermione's room. He gently knocked on the door, and sighed when he didn't get and answer.

"I have your dinner." He said, hoping that she would say something. When she didn't, he made a rash decision to slip into her mind. He closed his eyes and pushed forward, slipping into her thoughts much too easily. It only took him a moment to realize that she was asleep. Even though he wanted to stay and know what she was dreaming of, he quickly pulled away and opened his eyes again. After a moment of thought, he silently opened the door and placed the plate and fork onto the clean desk. He smiled a little, the desk was only clean because all of her materials were in the lab. He spared a glance, looking around at the room of his childhood, before exiting the familiar space and making his way to his own room.

After such a stressful day, Severus decided that it wasn't an indecent hour to go to bed for the night. He stripped himself of his robes and pulled on a loose pair of lounge pants. He pulled his hair back and tied it up before grabbing a book and sitting in his bed.

He found himself being woken by screams just a few hours later. He apparated to Hermione's room, and when he arrived he wasn't met with a dream induced nightmare.

* * *

Hermione had been deeply asleep when something had suddenly woken her. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she saw a figure at the foot of her bed. She yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"Severus?" She asked, reaching for her wand on her bedside table to get a little light into the room. Her eyes went wide when she realized that her wand wasn't where she left it every night. Her face swung to the person on her room, and she could feel the panic rising in her chest.

"Looking for this?" A voice asked softly, a voice she didn't recognize.

"Who are you?" She asked, pushing herself against the headboard.

"You know, we weren't expecting you to be here. It took a long time for us to lower the wards." The man said in his raspy voice. Hermione's hand reached out to the side, desperately trying to find the chain for the lamp on her bedside table. "We thought you would be with Potter…" He said.

"Who are you?" She asked again, finally finding the switch and yanking the lamp on. She gasped and the man was suddenly on her bed, his knees on either side of her and his hand over her mouth. Her eyes were wide as she frantically attempted to push him away and remove his hand at the same time.

"No no, we cant have that." He said, flicking a wand. Her hands snapped down onto the bed, and she couldn't move them, almost like they were glued to the mattress. She opened her mouth wide, and bit his hand. "Bitch." He hissed, drawing his hand away long enough to slap her across the face.

"Behave." He hissed, she didn't move, and he seemed satisfied. "Now," He whispered, "I believe you knew my sire… Bellatrix told him he could have you. But you got away… I think that leaves it to me. Then, when I'm done with you.. maybe I'll go kill Severus?" He said, posing the last part as a question. Hermione instinctively growled, trying to convey to him that his actions would be a mistake.

"Oh? You want to growl?" He asked, shoving her head back and smacking it on the headboard. She shut her eyes tightly as her eyes watered, when she opened them again she could swear that the world was spinning around her. She flinched as he rubbed his cheek against her ear, and her eyes popped open in horror as he growled. It was too real, there was no way he was human. She studied him as he pulled away from her ear, and she began to panic as she realized what this man meant. His sire was Greyback, she had been promised to Greyback, and the man in front of her was a werewolf. Her fright was enough to break the charm on her hands, and she clawed at him in an attempt to get him to release his hold on her. Finally, she landed a kick in his groin, and his hands dropped. She pulled in a breath and the scream that had been building let itself free.

There was a small pop, and she let out a sob of relief when she saw Severus Snape standing in her room. His face changed from worry to murderous in just a second. He flicked his wand, and the man in front of him was stunned and bound. He raised his wand a little higher and Hermione realized what he was about to do.

"No!" She yelled, holding her hands up. His wand flew out of his hands and into hers, and he seemed to find his sense again.

"My wand please." He said, holding out his hand.

"Don't kill him." She said, breathing heavily. He eyed her for a moment before nodding, and she relinquished his wand to him. He waved it over his head, summoning a patronus. Hermione took in the warmth of the silvery- blue doe as Severus spoke quietly to it. He sent it away, and Hermione wrapped her arms around herself.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked, taking quick strides to be at her side. She felt like she was going to be sick, and looked frantically around the room. "What is it?" Severus asked, sounding concerned.

"My wand. He took my wand." She muttered, the man next to her flicked his own, and two wands came flying to her. He caught them both, but proceeded to toss the short black one away and handing hers to her. She took it gratefully, holding it close to her chest. Her nausea faded quickly, though when she gingerly touched the back of her head her hand came to the front of her face covered in blood. She groaned, knowing this was why she felt sick. Severus quickly and gently pushed her head down, exposing the back of her neck and head. He muttered a few spells, and Hermione knew that he had just healed and cleaned her wound.

"Are you alright Hermione?" He asked, but she was unable to answer as people flooded into the room, led by Harry Potter. As soon as he laid eyes on Hermione, he rushed to her and pulled her into a hug.

" 'Mione, are you okay?" He asked, pulling back and looking her over. She nodded, not wanting to speak. "What happened?" He asked, and she looked at Severus, who gave a single nod.

"Potter." He said, and Harry spun to face him. He gestured to him, and they walked to a corner of the crowded room, giving Hermione space.

* * *

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?" Potter snarled. He curled his lip and flicked his wand, summoning a t-shirt. He raised an eyebrow as he pulled it on before sighing.

"Better?" He asked, tiredly.

"Yes. Now tell me what happened." Potter demanded, and he quickly went over the events that he had witnessed. "There's more… There has to be more." He said, turning to walk back to Hermione. Severus grabbed the boy's arm and pulled him back.

"Give her a moment to gather herself." He hissed. Potter looked as though he was going to argue, but changed his mind and nodded his head.

After all statements had been given, and Goyle and Nott had been arrested lurking outside of the house, Potter had gone back to Hermione's side. He had sat down on the edge as the Aurors began to leave.

"Hermione… Look I know we weren't talking, but please come back to Grimmauld place. You won't be in danger there." He said, and she laughed.

"You still don't listen, do you Harry Potter?" She asked, and his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Hermione." Severus spoke up softly. Both Potter and Hermione looked at him, though he wanted to laugh at the expression on Potter's face. "It's my fault.. they were coming for me. You should go." He said, the words paining him as he said them. Hermione stood and walked to him, her hand reached out a little before she let it fall to her side again.

"It's not you're fault. They said they were after me, but that they would go kill you after…" She said, and he swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. "They knew that I wasn't staying with you." She said, turning to Potter. "They knew. But I'm safe now, those were the only ones that escaped, right?" She asked, and Potter nodded.

"How did they?" Severus spoke up his curiosity getting the best of him.

"Ermm… Someone didn't give Rowle his wolfsbane." He said, and Severus nodded knowingly.

"If something like this happens again, Potter." He threatened, and Potter nodded.

"It won't." He said.

"If it does, I will personally find the Auror responsible and kill them." Severus said slowly, his face softened when he looked at Hermione, who looked frightened.

"Yes sir, of course sir." Potter muttered.

"Now get out of my house." He said, and Potter nodded. He walked to the bedroom door, but paused and turned back to face them.

"Hermione?" He asked, questioningly. She wrapped her arms around herself and shook her head. He nodded once and exited the room.

Severus stayed in the same spot on the floor until he heard the front door snap shut. He felt his shoulders slump as he turned to the woman next to him and enveloped her into an embrace. She held onto his waist tightly, her breaths uneven as she shook in his arms. He stroked her hair gently, trying to calm her.

"You're safe." He muttered, settling his chin on the top of her head. No thoughts of the earlier kiss entered his mind, he only wanted to comfort her. After a while, her breathing became even again, and she slowly peeled herself off of him. She looked up at him and gave him a tired smile. He felt his heart crack at the sight of her tear-stained, red eyed smile. He frowned deeply and brushed away the tears that lingered just under her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She said, and he raised his eyebrows.

"Whatever for?" He asked, and she let out a choked laugh.

"Almost getting you killed." She said, and he shook his head.

"It's fine. I don't mind." He said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Anyway, it's not as though tonight was the full moon. We just missed it." He said, gesturing to the waning gibbous moon outside the window. She smiled and swayed a little where she stood. Severus got his arms under her just as she collapsed, and he carried her the few feet to her bed. He gently laid her down, she was exhausted, he covered her with a thick blanket and clicked the light off before turning to leave the room.

"Stay." She muttered, and he turned to stared at her.

"What?" He asked.

"Stay.. please?" She asked, opening her eyes a little and looking at him. "Stay." She said, scooting over in the bed. He eyed the space then her again.

"You want me to…" He trailed off, at a loss for words.

"Sleep next to me." She mumbled. He had a minute of internal struggle before he found himself gingerly climbing into the bed next to her, being careful that their bodies didn't touch. Sleep overtook him quickly, the events of the night catching up to him.


	20. Chapter 20

When Hermione woke the next morning, she had an arm wrapped around Severus, her hand had gone under his shirt and was against his back. She was frightened at first, unsure how they had ended up in this position. She went to move, but changed her mind and left her hand where it was. Her face was against his chest, and she took a deep breath. She knew now, that this smell was her amortentia. The scent of this man kept her calm, but also made her heart thump heavily against her chest. She began to move, as she desperately needed to use the toilet. As she gently peeled her hand off of his skin and slid her arm slowly out of his shirt, his arms tightened around her. She sucked in a breath and smiled a little.

At the sharp sound of her intake of breath, Severus began to stir and he nestled his face into her mass of hair. After a short moment that Hermione figured it took for him to wake up, she felt him stiffen and slowly unwrapped his arms from around her. He was so careful that she realized he thought that she was still asleep.

"Good morning." She said softly, letting him know that she was awake. She heard him sigh and smiled, scooting away from him. She looked at his face, smiling a little. She saw a strand of hair that had fallen out of his ponytail, and she timidly pushed it out of his face. When her fingertips met his skin, she watched as his eyes closed and he took in a deep breath.

"Good morning." She whispered again, and he nodded slightly.

"How are you?" He asked sleepily.

"Good." She said softly, and he nodded, his eyes still closed. He dozed off again quickly, and she carefully crawled out of the bed.

When she was done in the bathroom, she quietly went into the kitchen and began to cook breakfast for the two of them. Severus stumbled out of her room as she was finishing up the bacon, and with a wave of her wand she set the table. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down, pulling the morning's paper toward him and flipping it open. She filled two plates with food and brought them both to the table. She slid one in front of him, and placed one on front of her seat. She sat down, and both of them began to eat their breakfast in silence until Severus finished the paper.

"I'm sorry." He said, staring down at his plate.

"For what?" She asked after she swallowed the food she had in her mouth.

"Last night." He said over his coffee mug. "I didn't mean to fall asleep." he explained, and she slowly took a gulp of her coffee.

"I didn't mind." She said softly, and they stared at each other for a long moment.

"We… can't." He said slowly.

"Why not?" She asked, her face growing red as she set down her coffee mug. "I can't just pretend that there's not something here." She said, gesturing between herself and Severus.

"Yes. You can." He said, staring evenly at her. "You were my apprentice, it would be completely inappropriate for-" Hermione laughed once, cutting him off.

"Oh, please Severus. I know for a fact how often Masters and Apprentices have romantic relationships." She said. He shook his head and set down his coffee mug.

"This isn't up for discussion." He said, and she furrowed her brow.

"You are such a stubborn man." She said, glaring at him. "Do you not…" She trailed off, not wanting to finish the question.

"Don't…" He said, looking pained. "Please?" He asked.

"Severus…" She said, looking down at the table.

"No." He said, standing abruptly and walking out of the room. Hermione watched him leave, her hands on the table. She let out a sigh, maybe it was just too soon to approach the subject. She shook her head and picked up the plates, trying to keep herself calm. She was utterly humiliated, but at the same time… she didn't want to pretend. She went to the lab, not wanting to bother him and not wanting to be bothered.

She let a few tears loose as she gathered ingredients to brew with. She had decided to make a batch of her potion for the Weasley's. It had taken her a long time to finally decide she could send Arthur and Bill Weasley some of the potion. She sniffed her way through the potion, wondering what exactly was wrong with her. Why would he not listen? Maybe he really didn't feel anything for her. She finished the potion and put it into a vial, when she realized she had brewed it wrong. She glared at the potion before throwing the vial hard against the wall. It was a small relief, but a relief nonetheless. She heard a throat clear, and she spun to face the doorway. Severus was standing there, his arms crossed as he leaned against the door jam.

"Are you done destroying the lab?" He asked, an eyebrow raised.

"As if one vial is destroying the lab." She said, grabbing a notebook and throwing it against the wall as she stared at him. "I just…" She picked up a stack of papers and slapped them against the desk, not wanting to destroy them if they were important. "Do you care?" She asked finally.

"Of course I do." He said, strangely calm from the doorway.

"Then why not?" She asked, furrowing her brow.

"I was your professor, it is inappropriate for us to even be discussing this." He said, avoiding eye contact with her.

"But you aren't now." Hermione said, swiping a tear off of her cheek. "And I.. I care about you." She said softly, taking a few steps toward him. He sighed and pushed off of the door frame, and walking into the room.

"Miss Granger-" He started.

"Oh don't you dare start calling me 'Miss Granger' again." She said, glaring at him. "We are going to be working together this year, you can't just call me 'Miss Granger' all the time."

"Correct, I suppose I will have to start calling you Professor Granger." Severus said.

"Was that a joke? Are you joking with me right now?" She asked, outraged.

"I don't know what you want me to say." He said, with a slight shrug.

"You know exactly what I want to hear." She said.

"I can't do this." He said, pushing his hair out of his face with a sigh.

"Do what?" She asked, pushing him to talk to her.

"Hermione.. don't do this." He begged, rubbing his neck with one hand.

"But…" She started. Her heart hurt, as she walked closer to him. "Severus, I-"

"No." He said, holding up his hands to cut her off. "Hermione don't do this." He said.

* * *

His heart was hurting, he hated to make her upset. He wanted to be with her, he really did, but they couldn't. This was Hermione Granger, a brilliant war heroine. The brightest witch of her age. It would be a mistake of hers if she was with him. He couldn't let her make that mistake.

"Why not, Severus Snape?" She asked, her face red with anger.

"It would be a mistake." He snarled, beginning to become angry himself.

"I… I would be a mistake?" She asked, hurt decorating her face.

"No!" His voice raised with passion. "No that's not… I would be a mistake. You have your whole life ahead of you Hermione. You can't… you can't do this!" He said.

"Isn't that up to me?" She cried out, and he shook his head.

"Not when it's my life too." He said, turning away from her and staring at the wall that had been behind him. He heard steps, knew that she was walking to him, and suddenly her hand was on his arm, just a feather of a touch.

"Severus… Please look at me?" She asked softly. His heart pounded against his chest as he slowly turned around to face her. His face was forced into his usual unreadable mask, though all of his emotions were threatening to break through. "It wouldn't be a mistake." She said softly, gazing into his eyes.

He looked away from her, taking a deep breath. He reached forward and grasped one of her hands in his, rubbing the back of hers with his thumb. He stared at their hands before looking back up at her. He froze when he saw tears in her eyes. He shook his head and let his heart get the best of him, putting his hands on either side of her face and leaning down to kiss her. Her lips were warm against his, and when he kissed her her mouth fell open a little. Feeling daring, he skirted his tongue along her bottom lip. He stroked his thumb against her cheek as she slowly traveled her hands up his sides, arms, and snaking around his neck. She kissed him back, and he felt himself go a little dizzy. He eased out of the kiss gently and rested his forehead against hers. She was grinning, and he let out a single chuckle.

"So… What does this mean?" She whispered. He let out a shaky sigh and shook his head a little.

"I still think you would be making a mistake." He said, and she glared at him.

* * *

"Stop calling yourself a mistake." She said softly. "I should clean this up." She said, pulling away and looking at the mess she had made of the lab.

"I'll help you." He said, waving his wand and cleaning the bad potion off of the wall. He could feel her eyes boring into her, and he felt his neck grow hot. "You could help you know." He said, turning to her and raising an eyebrow. She nodded and turned away, and he let his face fall into a worried expression. He just knew this would be bad.

She couldn't believe it, they had kissed. Each other. Severus had kissed her, and had allowed her to kiss him back. They had slept in the same room last night. Hermione had no idea what they were, what they would be to each other. Right now they were cleaning up the lab, Hermione glanced over at Severus and saw that he looked worried. She turned back to the papers she had scattered, and bit her lip.

"You really think that this will be a mistake?" She asked, not looking at him.

"I think that you deserve better. I think anyone would deserve better, but especially you." She heard him say in a low voice.

"And if I don't care?" She asked, and he let out a singular laugh.

"I think you have already made it very clear that you don't care." He said.

"Are you going to try to get me to leave?" She asked in a low voice.

"I don't think I could do that to you." He whispered, and she smiled in his direction.

"Good." She said, picking up the last notebook off of the ground. "So… What are we?" She asked, sitting on the desk and facing him. He gazed at her evenly for a moment before letting out a sigh.

"I don't-" He started, but she cut him off by smacking the heel of her shoe against the desk. She frowned at him and shook her head slightly. "How about we are.. just us?" He asked, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"No label on it?" Hermione asked, tilting her head a little.

"No…" He said slowly, raising a brow.

"Okay." She said, nodding her head. "And this.." She gestured between them. "Stays between us." She stated, and was pleased to see a flash of relief cross his face. She let a small smile bloom on her face, and jumped off of the desk lightly. "Okay." She said, walking over to the cauldron and taking a seat.

"What are you doing?" He asked, and she sighed.

"I messed up the last batch. I have to redo it." She said, and he nodded. "You don't have to stay in here though, if you don't want to." She said, figuring that he probably just wanted to think right now.

"Thank you." He said, bowing a little to her and with a quick turn, exiting the room. She smiled a little, he would be the same man. She hummed lightly to herself as she began to brew her potion again.

* * *

Severus let his feet guide him to the closet, where he grabbed a long cloak and threw it over his shoulders before spinning on his heel. Hogsmeade was very pleasant this time of year, he thought idly as he walked toward the castle gates. When he reached them, he impatiently waited until Minerva apparated just on the other side of them.

"Severus?" She asked, confused. "You know you don't have to be here for another month." She said, but taking notice of the lack of luggage, she tilted her head. "Severus, why are you here?" She asked.

"Can we go to your office to discuss this?" He asked hopefully. She nodded and opened one of the gates to allow him entry before grabbing his arm gently and apparating them both to her office. As soon as they landed, Severus began to pace around the room.

"It's nice to see you Severus, you look well." She noted as she took her seat.

"I kissed her." He said, and her mouth fell open.

"You did what?" She asked, and he groaned. He rubbed his neck with one hand, trying to ease the tension building there.

"I kissed her." He repeated. "And I can't take that back."

"Do you want to take it back?" She asked, and he shook his head. "Well… what did she say?" Minerva asked.

"She asked what we were. She tried to talk about it this morning at breakfast, but I wouldn't let her. She got upset, and the Gryffindor she is, decided to throw things around my lab. When I went to talk to her, I kissed her." He told her, finally taking a seat in the chair opposite her. She remained silent for a moment, summoning two glasses and a bottle of amber liquid. She poured a finger amount in each and handed him one.

"So, Miss Granger has romantic feeling for you?" She asked, and he nodded. "Well that's good." She said with a small smile.

"Good?" He asked, his mouth falling open. "Minerva! I am twenty years her senior, I was her teacher and her master! She is young, brilliant, and deserves much better." He said, setting his now empty glass down.

"But Severus, she wants you. Twenty years isn't so long, it's quite really nothing in the grand scheme of things. And nobody will care about how you used to be her professor." She said waving her hand at him.

"Nobody will care? I'm a potions master, they will think I have dosed her with amortentia. I'm also a Death Eater if you remember, they will think I have imperioused her." He said bitterly.

"There. That's the true problem, isn't it? It's what other people will think. You know what Miss Granger told me just after she started her apprenticeship? She said she was grateful I was strict about who I let on the grounds. She had been hounded by reporters before, being here, and I assume at your home as well, makes her feel safe." She told him, smiling. "If that girl is happy, why deny her?" She asked, and he slumped in his chair.

"I'm old." He muttered, and she laughed.

"Severus, you are hardly old." She said, shaking her head. "You are not even forty yet."

"And she isn't even twenty." He added, and Minerva rolled her eyes.

"You are being ridiculous. Will you be happy with her?" She asked, and after a moment he realized she wanted him to answer.

"Yes." He said softly.

"Do you think she will be happy with you?" She asked.

"No." He replied immediately.

"You're wrong. Let her be happy with you. Stop sulking, and make her tea. Buy her books. Make sure she is happy." Minerva said, and after a long and pregnant silence, he nodded in assent.

"I'm going to ruin it." He said, and she glared at him.

"You will if you enter into this with that attitude." She said, and he sighed. "Allow yourself to be happy." She said to him softly. He left the castle that evening with that singular thought in his mind. He hadn't considered that, allowing himself to be happy. When he exited the gates and entered Hogsmeade, he had a smile on his face. He reached his home, the home that Hermione was in at that very moment. He took a deep breath as he placed his hand on the doorknob, preparing himself to start this new chapter of his life.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter I had pre-written, as I am cross posting this from FFN, so I hope you enjoyed it so far! Please leave a comment or kudos!! Much Love- Bookworm

"Are you sure you have everything packed?" Hermione asked, peeking her head into Severus' bedroom.

"Yes." He sighed, and she smiled sheepishly at him.

"Sorry." She said, and he turned to her as she looked around the space.

"Did you need anything else Hermione?" He asked, giving her an amused smile.

"No.." She said slowly, taking a small step into the room. "Its just… We're never in here." She said, gazing intently at a full bookshelf. She blushed slightly as he stepped directly in front of her.

"That," he said gently as he took her hands in his, "is because I don't like this room." He said, she sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You don't like this house." She said, and he nodded.

"Correct."

"Well… Why don't you leave?" She suggested. His mouth fell open a little, and she bit her lip. "I'm -" She began to apologize, but he shook his head.

"I never even thought about it, I spend most of my time at Hogwarts." He explained, and she nodded in understanding. She noted how uncomfortable he looked, and changed the subject.

"Severus?" She asked, and he raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure Minerva won't… well she still wants me to teach?" She asked, and he sighed.

Ever since that night they had established their romantic relationship, Hermione had been worried that it would affect her standing as a teacher. She had asked him multiple times if she still had a job, and he assured her that she did. She had been worried that her Master status would be revoked should people find out about them, but Severus had reassured her that their relationship couldn't be of lesser interest to anyone on the board. It had taken weeks for her to relax about it, though they still hadn't gone on a proper date in public. Hermione could tell that the idea was unsettling to him, so she avoided bringing up the idea to him. It was easy to do, as their relationship was still new to them and she loved cooking for him.

"I am sure." He said to her, kissing her forehead lightly. She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the gesture. They had taken things slowly, both of them wary of their new situation, and this was one of the few displays of affection that Severus showed.

"Okay." She said, giving him a smile.

"Are you packed?" He asked, tucking a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. She nodded enthusiastically and he let a small smile show on his lips. "Well, then let's go." He said with a wave of his hand, vanishing the trunks that sat on the bed. She waved her own hand, hoping that the spell worked and that she would find her things in her room at Hogwarts. Severus offered his arm to her, she placed her hand on it and gripped tightly as they spun into nothingness.

She sighed with relief as they landed and she saw Hogwarts looming over them. She gazed at the castle, taking in the smell of the trees of the Forbidden Forest, the Black Lake, and the pleasant smell of grass.

"We're back." She sighed, a smile plastered on her face. She took his hand in hers and pulled him along behind her ad she began to walk to walk to the gates. When the reached it, they stopped as they were unable to open them. "You.. you did tell McGonagall that we were coming today, right?" She asked, raising her eyebrows and looking up at his face.

"Yes. I sent a letter saying what time." He said, looking up at the castle with a curious look on his face. Hermione hummed a little as she turned her gaze back to the castle. After a little while of silence, she sighed and turned back to Severus.

"Why don't we go get a drink?" She asked, and he looked around nervously. "Please Sev?" She asked, using his nickname and watching his resolve crumble. He nodded and they walked side by side to the Three Broomsticks. She touched his side and let her hand trace over his abdomen as he held the door open for her, smiling at his sharp intake of breath. She led the way to the bar and took a seat, ordering two butterbeers as Severus slowly took the seat next to her.

"Can you attempt to be a bit… inconspicuous?" Severus asked in a whisper, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked intently at her.

"I was unaware that we were keeping this a secret?" She asked, smiling to Madame Rosmerta as she set down their drinks.

"We… aren't." He said after a moment. She looked at him, concerned.

"Do you mean that?" She asked softly. "We can keep it to ourselves still… I just thought that maybe enough time has passed?" She asked softly.

"There's no need for that…" He said nervously.

"We don't have to talk about it yet." She said with a smile. Severus sighed and looked at his mug for a moment.

"I don't.. want to hide." He said after a long moment, turning to her and kissing her cheek gently. She grinned, lifting her mug to her mouth. She had just taken a sip when she turned a little and noticed a familiar figure standing behind them. "Harry?" She asked, her eyes growing wide.

"Erm… Hello." He said, his brows furrowed and a disgusted look on his face. "Can I… Erm.. Can I speak with you outside?" He asked, staring specifically at Hermione.

"Of course." She said immediately, hopping off of her bar stool. She gave Severus a smile before walking out of the pub behind Harry.

"Hermione.." Harry said as the door shut behind them. "Snape?" He asked, running his hand through his hair.

"Yes." She said, crossing her arms. "So?" She asked, daring him to say something against Severus.

"Hermione… It's Snape.." He said.

"Harry, I probably know that man better than anyone else. He's a good man." She said, and he opened his mouth to protest, but shut it again. "Harry… He's good." She said softly, and he stared at her for a long moment before he nodded.

"I'm… sorry. For everything." Harry said, frowning.

"Me too. I should have just talked to you." Hermione said. Harry took a deep breath and glanced inside the pub at his former potions master.

"Are… are you happy?" Harry asked, and Hermione let a soft smile grow on her face.

"Yeah, I am." She said happily. "I got hired by McGonagall. Part time Potions Master." She said, and he shook his head.

"You always did finish things faster than the rest of us." He said with a smirk. "Professor Granger." He said with a laugh, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Harry… Ron and Ginny?" She asked, and he sighed.

"I don't know…" He said, shrugging his shoulders. "Do you want the truth?" He asked, and she bit her cheek as she nodded her head. "I really think they have both.. moved on I suppose." He said, looking anxious.

"Well… Are they doing alright?" Hermione asked, and he nodded happily.

"Gin made it on the Hollyhead Harpies, Ron and I both passed the Auror Academy." He said, and she nodded.

"Harry… I'm sorry but I should head back in." She said, looking inside the shop.

"Right, sorry… Hermione?" He asked as she turned to open the door. She looked at him over her shoulder. "Maybe I could write?" He asked, and she nodded.

"That would be nice Harry." She said, he gave her a smile smile before walking back into the pub.

"Is everything okay?" Severus asked her, and she kissed his cheek before she took her seat again.

"Everything is perfect." She said, picking up her mug and finishing her drink quickly. "We should head back up to the castle." She said. He nodded and placed a few coins on the counter before standing and walking out of the pub with her.

* * *

Severus was glad to be back in the familiarity of his classroom, not that he hadn't enjoyed being alone with Hermione at Spinners End, but there was something about his dungeon quarters that made him feel much more at home. He was sitting at his desk, beginning to draw up lesson plans when she walked into the office.

"Severus." She greeted him, placing a notebook on the desk across from him and taking a seat. He passed her his notes, and she read over them carefully. She nodded, duplicating them with a flick of her wand and beginning to write In her own journal. They sat in silence for a long time, passing their plans back and forth between them to get approval from each other. After they had written up the plans through Halloween, Severus flicked his wand and sent his papers into a drawer.

He stood and walked around the desk casually, leaning his hip against the dark wood when he reached Hermione. He watched her write for a moment before reaching over and slowly plucking her quill from her hand. She looked up at him, smiling sheepishly. He stared at her for a long moment before a smile played on his lips.

"Dance with me?" He asked, and her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"You want me to dance with you?" She asked, and he nodded as he offered his hand to her. She slowly took his hand, and he pulled her up out of her chair quickly, causing her to stumble into him. "There's no music." She mumbled, and he let out a singular chuckle before waving a hand. A record player appeared in the corner of the room and began to play softly. He pulled her close to him and began to sway with her in his arms.

"I didn't know you danced." She said, looking up at him.

"I never had much reason to. Until now." He spoke softly, causing her to blush.

"Well you don't seem very fond of… physical contact." Hermione said boldly, and he raised his eyebrows. He had tried to take things slowly over the last few weeks, as the relationship was new and they both knew that this relationship status was new to the other. She was young, he knew that if anything she had been on a few dates, but nothing serious. As for him, he was Severus Snape. Sure he had slept with witches, but nothing that would constitute a relationship. It was drunken and hazy nights.

"Well, you have misjudged." He said, and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Have I?" she asked.

"I'm human, am I not?" He asked, and she let out a laugh.

"That's a relief to hear, I was having doubts about that." She said cheekily as he spun her around. He shook his head as a smile spread on his lips.

"No matter what you have heard, I am human. I enjoy 'physical contact' just as much as you." He said, pulling her close to him, there bodies pressed against each other. Her mouth fell open a little, and his eyes were drawn to her lips.

"Prove it." She said, smiling widely.

"Gryffindors…" He growled, shaking his head. He ducked down slightly and caught her lips in his, brushing his tongue gently along her bottom lip and tasting the sugar that remained on her lips from the butterbeer hours before. He heard her groan softly as she put her arms tight around his neck, pulling him down closer to her. He tucked one hand on her neck, her hair tangled between his fingers. His other hand sat on the small of her back, pulling her close against him. He thought about pulling away, that he had surely made his point, but he didn't. Instead, he decided to enjoy this moment. He moved his hands down to her waist, gripping her tightly. She brought her hands down, grabbing the collar of his cloak and pushing it down. He relinquished his grip on her waist to assist her in removing the unneeded garment. He then wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, leading her backward to where she was leaning against the desk. He waved his hand, her papers vanishing, before lifting her gently so that she sat on the edge. She wrapped her legs around the back of his, pulling him close, and he couldn't help the sigh that escaped him. She pulled away and looked up at him, breathing heavily.

"I'm-" She began to say, but he cut her off with a short kiss.

"Don't say it." He said, resting his forehead against hers.

"Okay." She whispered, taking one hand and running it through his hair.

"I don't want.. to rush anything." He said, looking at her evenly.

"Have you not…" She trailed off, furrowing her brows together.

"Not what?" He asked her, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"Erm…" She began nervously, and he raised his brows at her. "Have you had sex?" She blurted out, her cheeks becoming a deep red and her eyes growing wide at the realization of what she just asked him dawned over her. He sighed and nodded.

"Yes." He answered simply, and she looked down.

"I see." She said, biting her lip. He gently tucked his hand under her chin and brought her face back up to look at him.

"There was never… emotion involved." He said, and her brow furrowed.

"You mean… you just slept with people without knowing them?" She asked, looking upset.

"You must understand Hermione…. I am twenty years your senior. I have been alone for a long time.." He said, taking her hands in his and begging her to understand him. "I didn't love them." He said, and her eyes grew wide.

"Do… do you love me?" She asked, and he gently kissed her lips.

"Absolutely." He answered, and she drew him in for another deep kiss.


	22. Chapter 22

Hermione was standing with Severus at the front of the classroom, it was the first day and they had agreed to work together that day, introduce themselves at the same time. Hermione took in a deep breath, she knew that the bell would ring any moment to signal the beginning of the first class.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked, placing a hand gently on her elbow. She gulped down the lump in her throat and nodded. "Nervous?" He asked, and she gave him a small smile.

"A little." She muttered, biting the inside of her lip.

"You will be fine." He said, giving her one of his rare smiles. Just as she smiled back, the bell rang. It made her jump a little, and she looked at the door, terrified. "It will be fine." He said in her ear, gesturing for her to go to the door. She nodded and walked to the still- closed door, sighing as she heard all the children behind it talking. She set her hand on the knob, and channeling Severus, made her face into an unreadable mask before she slowly opened the door and stepped into the corridor. She stood in front of the students, staring at them, until they all quieted down.

"I am Professor Granger. Every day you have class here, you will wait out here in the corridor until either Professor Snape or I come to get you. Now, if you will all form a single line, we may go in." She said, waiting until they formed the line before she stepped back into the classroom. The students flowed in behind her, and began to take their seats. This year there were more students, so Slytherin and Gryffindor were in one class together and Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw would be in the next. Hermione noted that they were segregating themselves already, and only spared a glance at Severus before she stepped in.

"Please seat yourselves only two students of the same house at a table." She said, and watched as the students nervously followed her direction and rearranged themselves. She nodded once and turned back to stand next to Severus, who gave her an imperceptible nod of approval. When she turned back to face the students, she was pleased to note that they were all looking up at their professors expectantly.

"I am Potion's Master Snape. Here we will teach you the art of potion brewing." He said, turning his head and handing the proverbial talking stick to Hermione.

"There is no use for wands in this class, though you will need parchment and a quill. If you have failed to buy your book, I want to stress that you will need to have it before the next class." Hermione spoke clearly to the room at large. She glanced at Severus and could swear that his lips twitched at her words.

"Anyone with a book, pull it out now and turn to page ten. That will be the first potion that we work on today." Severus said, flicking his wand at the chalkboard. Writing appeared, and when Hermione flicked hers, the cupboard at the back of the room opened.

"Everyone please send one person from each table to gather the ingredients you will need." Hermione said, and after a little bit of talking a child from each table stood and made their way to the cupboard.

The class passed quickly and more flawlessly than they had prepared for, as did the rest of the day. And before they even knew it, the school day was over and Severus and Hermione were sitting in their office before dinner.

"I think that went remarkably well." She stated, setting a glass of firewhisky in front of him. He picked it up and raised his glass at her with a smile.

"Yes it did." He agreed, glancing at his watch and sighing. "It's nearly time for dinner." He said, and she smiled.

"You don't have to. McGonagall said only one of us has to be at meals, you don't have to go." Hermione said, standing and straightening her robes.

"I'm the Head of Slytherin, I'm sure that Minerva expects me to be there." He said, and she smiled at him.

"Would it really be so bad?" She asked, tilting her head. "To spend a meal sitting next to me?" She finished, reaching across the desk and gently touching her hand to his. He smirked and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Of course not, witch." He said, smirking at her. He stood and walked around the desk, keeping his eyes on hers the entire time.

"So let's go then, otherwise Minerva might go batty." Hermione said as he came around the desk and stood toe to toe with her. He slowly reached a had up and brushed a lock of hair back from her face, she watched as his featured softened, and she felt her head beat hard against her chest. She opened her mouth, about to repeat that they should go to dinner, but he covered her lips with his. She placed a hand on his arm and his hand rested gently on her cheek, her mind racing along with her heart until he pulled back. A deep blush fixed itself on her cheeks and she stepped around him, leading the way to the door. When she glanced back, Severus had an amused smirk on his face as he walked behind her. She shook her head, holding back a laugh as she opened the door to allow them out of the office.

* * *

Severus couldn't help himself, he had a hand on her knee under the table, hidden by the tablecloth. Even though he was sure that nobody could see, he was positive that Minerva knew, as she kept looking down the table at the pair of them. Hermione had noticed quickly, and had leaned over only slightly to speak to Severus.

"Severus, I think Minerva wants you to keep your hands to yourself." She said, raising her eyebrows at him.

"I don't care." He said softly, keeping his face smooth and unreadable. Longbottom chose that moment to take his seat, glancing over at Hermione for only a second at first. Severus almost couldn't hold back the laugh that threatened to rip out of his throat when he looked back at the pair, his eyes comically wide.

"Wait!" He hissed, looking back and forth between Hermione and Severus. "You weren't joking?" He asked, his wide eyes trained on Hermione.

"No." She said evenly, she began to take a drink of her tea, but glared at Longbottom while the cup was still halfway to her mouth. "Why would you think I was joking?" She asked, and Severus raised an eyebrow at the younger man.

"I erm… It's just.." He stammered, looking extremely nervous.

"Longbottom." Severus said, and watched as he visibly gulped.

"Y-yes Sir?" Longbottom asked.

"Please remind me Longbottom, what is your boggart?" He asked, turning back to the plate in front of him. The witch beside him, his witch, elbowed him in the ribs as Longbottom cleared his throat.

Severus walked beside Hermione back down to their chambers. They both stopped walking as they reached her door, and he glanced to either side of them when she reached out to him and took his hand.

"Severus.." She said, locking eyes with him.

"Hermione?" He responded, his ears paying attention for the sound of footsteps.

"Goodnight." She said, standing on the tips of her toes to brush her lips against his.

"Goodnight, love." He said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

When he entered his chambers, he was greeted with a piece of parchment sitting on his bed. He sighed, he had a feeling it was Minerva wanting to see him. He picked up the parchment and ran his eyes over the words, confirming what he thought. With a snap, the letter caught on fire, and he turned to leave his chambers once more.

"Enter." Came Minerva's voice through her office door, he did so and immediately took a seat across from her. He let himself relax, and he almost looked like he was lounging. "Severus." She acknowledged him, looking over her glasses at him.

"Good evening Minerva." He replied. "And I mean evening." He added, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yes Severus, I am aware what time it is. I couldn't help but notice you and Miss Granger earlier." She stated before leaning back in her chair and setting her hands on the arms, relaxed.

"What about Hermione and I?" He asked, sounding tired.

"Are you both happy?" She asked, and Severus let out a breath.

"I can't speak for her, but.. I am happy." He said as she held out a tin of biscuits, offering one to him. He took one, not wanting to be rude, and held it in one hand.

"Good. You deserve it." Minerva said, giving him a smile. "It's not going to effect your work though, will it? Or her's?" She asked, eyeing him. He snorted, thinking that she was joking. He became serious when she raised her eyebrows at him.

"Minerva. Of course not." He said, and she nodded slowly.

"Tell me how the first day went for the two of you." She said, changing the subject.

* * *

Hermione tried to sleep, she really did, but the first day back had made her so nervous and jumpy. With so many people in the castle she had spent half the day with her hand wrapped tightly around her wand. She glanced at her watch, it was one in the morning. She let out a sigh and flicked her wand, lighting the candles in the room. She decided that as long as she wasn't sleeping, she might as well write to Harry.

_Dear Harry,_

_Thank you for your last letter. Things are strange here. I thought I would be done with this anxiety, but it seems that I'm not. Today I was just so jumpy and on edge, I swear I almost had to walk out of class. I stuck it out though. I can only imagine how you go through everything with work. If I'm on edge, I can't imagine how it is when you are still hunting down the bad guys._

_I think that the classes are going to go very well this year. The first day went really well, though Severus and I were teaching together. I teach the class every other day, so we will see how that goes with me teaching alone. I don't have too much to say, so I'll sign off now. Write soon Harry._

_Love,_

_Hermione_

She folded the parchment and sealed it before she set it down on the desk and grabbing a book. It had been a book that Severus had lent to her, and she had not yet started it. She opened it to the title page, and noticed the writing immediately. She smiled widely as she read the note, and a blush filled her cheeks. She would know this handwriting anywhere, as she had spent seven years reading the tall, slanted writing that decorated the page before her now.

_My dearest Hermione,_

_I read some of the books you said were your favorites. I personally didn't see the appeal to some of them at first, I admit. However, this was a favorite of mine when I was a younger man. After reading some of your books, I thought that you would greatly appreciate this novel._

_Severus_

Hermione ran her fingers over the words that he had written and a wide smile broke over her face. He hadn't let her borrow it, he had given it to her and had written a note in the book as well. She shook her head and turned to the first page, letting herself get lost in the pages.


	23. Chapter 23

It wasn’t until Christmas Holidays that the pair had to worry about their relationship. Minerva had decided that she wanted to host a Yule Ball again, and they were encouraged to bring dates. This shouldn’t have been a problem, as most students had already somehow figured out that they were something of a couple, though they had never confirmed it whenever students asked. The real problem was that Minerva was set on inviting Harry, the Weasley’s, and some other families that had aided in the downfall of Voldemort. She had also told the staff that she would be inviting some Ministry officials as well.

“Severus, it will be fine. We have talked about this.” Hermione said soothingly as they sat in his chambers. He shot her a look and she rolled her eyes at him. “You are overreacting. I am an adult Severus, I’m not going to leave you just because people don’t approve.” She said, raising an eyebrow and pouring them each a finger of Firewhisky. She handed him a glass, and he quickly swallowed the drink.

“Hermione-” He began, but she cut him off.

“Severus. I know that they won’t like it, the Weasley’s, but Harry already said that he would talk to them before, so that they won’t be in shock. As for the Ministry, they won’t care. You never gave me any special treatment and we didn’t even have a relationship until after I was made a professor.” She said, and he let out a sigh.

“It will change everything. We said that this would stay between us.” He said, avoiding her gaze.

“Did you want to keep this between ourselves for as long as we are together? Besides… Minerva, Neville and Harry all know. Them knowing didn’t change anything.” She said to him, setting her own empty glass down on the small side table.

“Hermione, I was a Death Eater. Now, you have the respect of people, they listen to you. As soon as people find out that you are… involved with me, you will lose that.” He said, and she thought that he sounded angry.

“I don’t care about that… Severus I just need the respect here.” She said softly, attempting to ease his mind of the rampant thoughts she imagined were running in it. He looked at her and shook his head with a sigh.

“You are a war hero.” He said, sounding tired. He rubbed his face with a hand and poured himself another drink.

“Severus. You need to stop.” She said, sitting herself on the edge of his bed and placing her hands in her lap. He dropped to his knees in front of her and grabbed her hands. She was shocked at this display, and stared at him with concern.

“Hermione. Please understand. I am hated, my name may have been cleared but the fact still remains that I was a Death Eater and I killed the most respected wizard of the last century. I am a detested man. That’s who you will be with.” He said, rubbing the backs of her hands with him thumbs.

“That’s not who I’m with.” She said, squeezing his hands in hers to catch his attention. “You are an amazing man who suffered and risked so much. I love you.” She said to him. He gazed up at her for a moment before he slowly moved closer to her and kissed her. She let her eyes close and wrapped her arms around him, drawing him close to her as they broke the chaste kiss and he slowly wrapped his arms around her waist. Hermione took a deep breath as she gently stroked his hair.

“Severus.” She whispered, pulling away a little and looking at his face, she gave him a small smile as he stood, composing himself and clearing his throat.

“Are you sure?” He asked, and she nodded.

“I’m sure.” She said, and he nodded his head absentmindedly. “I’m not ashamed of you.” She said, raising her eyebrows at him. She stood and placed one hand gently on his forearm. He gave her a rare smile and she shook her head a little, amazed still whenever he so openly displayed emotion. “I should go to bed.” She said softly. He stared at her for a moment before giving her one short nod. She stood on her toes and pressed her lips against his cheek, when she pulled away, she was pleased to see that his cheeks had a tinge of red to them.

“Goodnight.” He said, clearing his throat.

“Goodnight Severus.” She said, walking to the door. She paused, her hand on the doorknob. “I love you.” She said, glancing back at him.

“Come here.” He said, staring at her. She walked back to him and he pulled her close to him, one hand resting on her hip as the other gently rested on the back of her neck. He leaned down and kissed her, and in that moment Hermione felt her knees go weak. He held her close, not even giving her knees a chance to collapse under her. They had kissed before, but this kiss took her breath away. He pulled away after what felt like forever, Hermione took in a deep breath and gazed up at him.

“I love you too.” He said softly, giving her one last gentle kiss. He kept on hand on the small of her back and gently led her to the door. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but closed it and cleared her throat as her mind straightened itself out.

“Goodnight.” She said again, a deep blush filling her cheeks. She walked herself down the corridor to her own room and sat down on her bed, her hands pressed against her warm cheeks. She took a deep breath and smiled to herself. She wasn’t sure what about that kiss had been different, but it had been.

She had just changed into her pyjamas when there was a knock on her door. She walked to the door and cracked it open to see who it was, and proceeded to open it all the way when she saw that it was Severus. He immediately stepped into her room and she closed the door behind him. Her brow furrowed at the look on his face, and she touched his arm lightly.

“Severus?” She asked, concerned. He let out an angry breath and pushed his hair out of his face.

“Something happened. I just got a floo call from a contact at the ministry.” He said seriously. “It’s Rowle.” Hermione felt the hair on her neck stand on end, and chills run down her spine as the memories from that night forced their way into her mind.

“Oh.” She whispered, wrapping her arms around herself.

“I don’t know why they waited so long to tell me. Must have been Potter, didn’t want to worry you. Rowle never made it to Azkaban. He killed one of his escorts and got away.” He explained as Hermione sat on the edge of her bed. Hermione stared down at the ground, she could feel her heart pounding hard in her chest at the news. She felt Severus sit next to her and pull one of her hands into his.

“I promise, I will keep you safe Hermione.” He said softly.

“They told you because tonight is the full moon.” Hermione said softly. “The wards don’t protect against magical creatures Severus. If he had access to Wolfsbane, he would be aware enough that he could come here.” Hermione’s eyes went wide and she looked over to him. His face showed that he hadn’t thought of this possibility.

“Tonight’s the full moon.” Severus repeated back, and she nodded a little. “I’ll be right back.” He said, moving to stand.

“Please don’t go.” Hermione whispered, ashamed that the infamous Gryffindor courage was failing her in the moment. She bit the inside of her cheek as Severus looked at her.

“Of course.” He said, leaning over and kissing her cheek. “In that case, may I use your fire?” He asked, and she nodded. He walked over and through some floo powder into the flames and calling out a name that Hermione didn’t recognize. Severus stuck his head into the emerald flames and began to speak, though his voice was muffled so she couldn’t quite hear what he was saying. When he pulled out of the flames, he let out a sigh and rubbed his face with his hands.

“You were right, they only told me because it’s a full moon and they have no idea where he is. They lost their lead on him a week ago. They have aurors surrounding the school, they think that he’ll probably try to come here.” Severus said, walking back to her and resuming his seat next to her. “We are going to be okay.” He said, reassuring her. She nodded and leaned into him.

“Stay with me tonight.” She said abruptly, interrupting the silence that had fallen over the room.

“Of course, love.” Severus said softly, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head.

It had taken hours after they had laid down for bed, but Severus was relieved when Hermione finally fell asleep. She was curled into his side, and he was slowly making circles on her arm with his thumb, thinking about what could be happening outside of the castle at that moment. He closed his eyes, willing sleep to overtake him. It was early morning when sleep finally did capture him, and only a few hours later he was woken again when Hermione slowly rose from the bed.

He slowly opened his eyes and groaned softly, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. He yawned as Hermione opened the door, but was interrupted when he heard a gasp. He turned to look at her and was greeted by her shutting the door quickly and looking at him with wide eyes.

“There’s three aurors outside.” Hermione said, raising an eyebrow at him. He quickly stood and pulled his shirt on, buttoning it as he strode to the door. Hermione stepped out of the door frame, allowing him to open it. Severus opened the door and stepped out of the room, snapping the door shut behind him.

“May I help you?” Severus asked, his eyebrows raised at the two men and one woman that had taken post outside of Hermione’s chambers.

“Snape.” One of the men said. “Rowle was out there last night. We were able to sedate him and bring him down here to the dungeons.”

“You brought him down here?” Severus asked, his tone cold. “Did Minerva give you permission to do this?”

“Yes sir, Potter spoke with her.” The woman said, Severus looked at them for a moment before giving a nod and reentering the room behind him. He closed the door just as Hermione finished pulling on her cloak.

“Is everything okay?” She asked, tugging her hair out of the cloak and letting it fall on her shoulders. His mouth ticked a little at the sight of the witch in front of him before he relayed what the aurors told him.

“Rowle is in a dungeon.” He told her, and she wrapped her arms around herself, her brow furrowed.

“Why didn’t they just take him to Azkaban?” Hermione asked.

“My guess is that he only just changed back a little while ago, he is still too dangerous right now.” Severus explained, and she nodded slowly.

“I don’t… Erm… I don’t think I want to be here right now.” Hermione said, and Severus nodded.

“Of course. Let me grab my cloak and we can go to the village.” Severus said, walking over to her and pulling her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist and Severus allowed himself to relax in her embrace for just a moment.

Minutes later he had grabbed his cloak and they were walking out of the castle hand in hand. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground, and it was cold enough that they were able to see their breath.

“I should get a dress for the Yule Ball.” Hermione said thoughtfully as they entered the outskirts of the village.

“What is wrong with the dress you wore for the Christmas party last year?” Severus asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m not sure it would be appropriate for a ball that is going to have students.” She stated, giving him a small smile. He inclined his head and smirked at her.

“Good point. I don’t think I want any of those young men to be staring at you like I was.” He said, and she let out a laugh. “Why don’t we go in here and you can look around?” He suggested as they approached a small shop that sold dresses and dress robes. Severus walked around the shop absentmindedly as Hermione browsed.

“Sev?” He heard her call out to him and he followed her voice to where there was a fitting room.

“Yes?” He asked, and his breath caught as she walked out of the room in an emerald green gown. His eyes travelled from the bottom of the dress up to her face, were she had a small smirk on her lips.

“Do you like it?” She asked, and he finally drew in a breath as he took a step closer to her.

“You should have been a Slytherin.” He said, and she let out a laugh.

“Do you think it’ll be fine to wear to the ball?” She asked him, and he nodded. “Okay, good. I’ll just go change and then we can go.” She said. She gave him a smile before turning back to the small room. Severus smiled to himself as he walked to the counter and paid for the dress. It only took a couple moments before Hermione was dressed again and walking to the counter, the dress slung over her arm. She set it on the counter and gave the shopkeeper a small smile.

“I’d like to get this please.” She said.

“Of course.” The shopkeeper said, waving her wand and making the dress package itself. She then slid the package across the counter. “Have a nice day.” The witch said.

“Oh, I still need to pay. How much?” Hermione asked, and the witch held up her hand.

“This man has already paid for you dear.” She said. Hermione looked at Severus, her brow furrowed.

“Oh… Erm.. well thank you.” She said to the shopkeeper before she led Severus out of the store. She waited until the door shut behind them before she turned to Severus, glaring.

“Hermione?” He asked, confused at her hostility.

“Why did you do that?” She asked. “I can pay for my own things.” She stated.

“Of course you can.” He said, raising his eyebrows at her. “I know that.” He stated. “I just wanted to do something nice for the woman I love.” He said, and her face softened.

“I love you too.” She said softly, giving him a smile and a small kiss. “And thank you.” She said, gesturing to the package that she was holding.

“Anything for you, love.” He said happily.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a long time since I updated, and I am truly sorry. Please forgive me and take my humble offering of a longer than usual chapter. I hope you love it as much as I do!!! Please leave me kudos, or comment if you like it!!! Much Love- Bookworm

This time, Rowle really was taken to Azkaban. He was under heavy guard, and had been placed under an extremely strong sedative before transportation. Harry had been sure to floo call Hermione and tell her that he had personally seen that Rowle was in a prison cell. Her mind at ease, she focused on the upcoming Yule Ball that the headmistress had organized.

Hermione had been roped into helping to decorate the castle, not that she really minded. She had rare opportunity to practice the spells that she had learned for Bill and Fleur’s wedding, and Hermione wasn’t one to turn her nose at the opportunity. Severus had groaned and muttered something about “bloody Gryffindors” and “school spirit” when she told him, and begged her to not put too much red into the decor. She had then pointed out that red was the perfect color for Christmas, he had narrowed his eyes his eyes at her.

“As are green and silver.” He had said, sending a shiver up her spine, before turning back to the papers he was grading. Hermione had decided to include every house’s color equally, as she didn’t want to turn up for the ball to find all of her hard work changed by the potions master, the Head of Slytherin.

She had just finished the final touches when she heard a knock on the doors that led to the Great Hall, where the ball would be held. She quickly walked to the door and cracked it open to see who it was. It was Minerva, and Hermione sighed with relief as she pulled her into the large room.

“How is everything….” She trailed off, and Hermione watched as the older woman clasped her hands against her chest. “Oh Hermione.” Minerva said softly, a large smile on her face.

“Does it need anything else?” Hermione asked, and Minerva shook her head.

“No dear, this is perfect… Oh Albus would have loved this. He cherished Christmas so much.” She said, and Hermione grinned.

“I already sent the menu to the elves, and told them that they will have the day after the ball off, once they finish delivering the gifts to the children of course.” Hermione said, holding up a large piece of parchment and looking over it one more time. “Everything is done.” She said after a moment, tucking the list away.

“Did Severus get the invitations sent out?” Minerva asked, and Hermione nodded.

“I helped him send them.” She affirmed.

“Are you prepared?” Minerva asked, her tone suddenly serious. Hermione’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“I did everything on the list Minerva.” She said, and the headmistress shook her head.

“No dear, that’s not what I mean. Are you and Severus prepared?” There was a long silence before Hermione let out a long breath.

“I think we are. As prepared as we can be, of course. Both of us are… prepared for the worse, I think. Thankfully, Harry is understanding and has told the Weasley’s already. From what I understand, Molly and Arthur are going to have a stern talk with Severus, and I shouldn’t expect anything from Ronald for Christmas. Apparently Ginny took the news quite well, as she has been sending Chocolates every other day for a couple weeks now.” Hermione explained.

“That’s all good Hermione… but what about the ministry?” Minerva asked, and Hermione balked.

“Well.. Severus and I kept our relationship professional until I was asked to be a professor.” She said slowly, and Minerva nodded.

“Yes, but I’m sure they will want to have an inquiry, just to be sure. Just to be sure that Severus didn’t give you your mastery unfairly. I’m sure you, Severus, and myself will all be questioned.” She said, raising her eyebrows at Hermione.

“An inquiry? Do you think Severus knows?” Hermione asked, biting her lip. To her dismay, Minerva nodded. 

“I’m sure he does.” She said. Hermione glanced around the Great Hall again.

“I think I should go speak with him.” She said, and Minerva nodded. “I’m glad you like it.” Hermione added, gesturing to the room and giving Minerva a smile, before leaving the Hall.

Hermione made her way quickly down to the dungeons, and only paused to knock quickly on Severus’ office door. When she heard him give permission to enter, she threw open the door, and proceeded to slam it shut.

“Severus.” She said, glaring at him. He looked slightly startled at her loud entrance as she marched to his desk. “An inquiry?” She asked, raising her eyebrows at him. He stared at her for a moment before realization dawned on him, and he set down his quill with a sigh.

“Minerva told you?” He asked.

“Severus, Why didn’t you say anything?” She asked him. “Why did you tell me that nobody on the board would care if we were together?” She asked, outraged.

“Hermione, I didn’t see the point in worrying about it. I didn’t know that we would be having a ball her at the castle and inviting half of the ministry.” He said, his voice calm.

“What about when you found out about the ball?” Hermione asked. “Why didn’t you tell me then?”

“Hermione, I didn’t want you to worry about it through the ball. I was going to tell you after.” He said, running a hand through his hair.

“Severus… You should have told me.” She said. They sat in silence for a moment as Hermione thought about what might happen. However, she realized that she had no idea what might happen. “Severus, am I going to lose my job?” She asked him.

“There are a number of things that might, or might not, happen Hermione.” Severus said, and she raised her eyebrows at him.

“Tell me.” She said shortly, and he sighed. He took a short moment to close the folder of papers and put it away into a drawer.

“You want to know what might happen?” He asked, and she nodded.

“Tell me everything.” She said, and he shook his head in exasperation.

“Very well. If an inquiry ends badly, a few different things could happen. You could be asked to step down from your position, or I could be asked the same. It’s possible that they could ask Minerva to reconsider having either of us as the potions professor. The Master’s Board could revoke your mastery, or just have you retest without my presence. On the other hand, if an inquiry does happen and they deem action unessential, then nothing will happen. Either way, I didn’t want you to worry because we will be fine. I know the risks, and I’m fully prepared for them.” Severus said to her, and she threw up her hands.

“I didn’t though Severus! I didn’t know!” She shouted. “What if they ask me to leave Hogwarts?” She asked, and he slowly folded his hands on his desk.

“If they ask for your removal, I will offer to leave.” He said simply. “If they attempt to revoke your mastery, I will insist that they only retest you and offer my resignation.” He added, raising his brows at her.

“Severus…” She said, suddenly deflated. “Why?” She asked him.

“Hermione. I think you underestimate how important you are to me. And anyway, I’ve wanted to start my own brewery for years. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life teaching Potions, this inquiry might just push my plans ahead a few years.” Severus said to her.

“You’ve never mentioned that before…” Hermione said softly.

“Hermione, I really don’t want you to worry about this.” Severus said, reaching across the desk and gently taking her hands in his. “I want you to enjoy the ball, anything after that we will figure it out as it comes along, okay?” He asked her, and she nodded after a moment. He stood and walked around the desk, resting his hip against the hard wood when he reached her side.

“Are you sure about all of this Severus?” She asked him, biting her lip.

“Yes.” He said simply, crossing his arms and looking down at her. She nodded and let out a sigh, her mind running through all of the possibilities in front of them. “Hermione.” He said, and she looked up at him. “I will do everything in my power to be sure you will still have your job.” He said, raising his brows at her.

“Thank you Severus.” She said softly.

* * *

Before anyone knew it, the Yule Ball was upon them, and Hermione was fidgeting with her dress as she stood in front of her mirror. She was grateful that she had chosen a modest dress, especially considering that she was part of the staff welcoming committee for the guests that didn’t attend the school. She was sure that if she had chosen a more revealing gown the ministry officials would use that against her.

She heard a knock on her door, and she opened it with a grin. Severus, of course, was dressed head to toe in almost all black. Hermione had insisted on buying him a new shirt, and had picked one that had dark green embroidery on the collar and down the front center placket. It was almost invisible against the black, but Hermione had been adamant about it when she had placed the order. She looked him over as he offered his arm to her, and grinned up at him as she accepted it. 

“You look dashing.” She said, and he rolled his eyes.

“I look ridiculous.” He muttered, and she laughed.

“That’s ridiculous.” She said, mocking him. She was pleased with her little joke when she noticed the corners of his mouth flick up as they began to walk. “Thank you for not refusing to welcome everyone.” She said conversationally.

“Might as well get the shock done and over with.” He said, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

“You know, you never told me if you approved of the Great Hall. I worked hard on that.” She said, raising her brows at him.

“Twenty one, and still seeking my approval?” He asked, and she rolled her eyes at the amusement in his voice. She continued to look at him until he finally told her what he thought. “It looks very nice, It’s good to know you heeded my advice.” He said, and she let out a light laugh.

They settled into a comfortable silence for the rest of the walk to the Entrance Hall, where they met with McGonagall, Neville, and Professor Sprout. McGonagall nodded at them, giving them an encouraging smile as they joined the small group. Hermione grinned to Neville, pulled him into a quick hug, and said a quick hello to Professor Sprout before she faced the large entrance doors.

“When are they supposed to start arriving?” Hermione asked, suddenly extremely nervous.

“Any moment now, I’ve felt people coming through the wards for a few minutes. Everyone we invited of course. They could only pass through the wards if they had their invitation in hand.” McGonagall explained, and Hermione nodded once. Severus, in a rare display of public affection, gently took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. She looked up at him and smiled just as the doors creaked open. Hermione’s eyes went wide, but she was calm when she saw that the first people to come through the doors were Harry, followed closely by the Weasleys. 

The welcoming went by quickly, with many handshakes and hugs accompanied with words of welcome. Soon enough, they were leading the students into the Great Hall, and Hermione was greatly pleased at the reactions of everyone to her decorations. As everyone took their seats around the room, the headmistress made her way to the large podium and waited for silence to fall.

“Welcome to the first annual Yule Ball. Welcome students, and welcome to everyone who took the time to come. I wanted to have this Ball for two reasons. First, to show how, unlike ever before, our students are finally unified. These past years have been hard on everyone, but they seem to have been especially hard for our students. Last year we had a record low of attendance, and I am proud to say that this year our numbers are up. I am proud of every single one of you, and I thank you for working so hard to come together.” McGonagall brought her hands together a few times, leading a small round of applause. She held her hands up after a moment, once again asking for silence.

“Secondly, I would like to recognize everyone that gave their lives for all of us to be here today. Everyone here is aware of the battle that happened here at this castle against Voldemort and his followers. Many lost their lives that day, and even before then. I would like to ask for a moment of silence in their honor.” She said, and everyone seemed to bow their heads at the same time. Hermione felt Severus’ hand grasp hers under the table, and she felt a small smile spread across her face. She peeked at him from the corner of her eyes, and saw that he was looking at her. She was floored by the look in his eyes, it wasn’t unlike the look that she had seen her father look at her mother with, and she opened her mouth to speak. Remembering that the school was having a moment of silence, she snapped her mouth shut and looked away from the man next to her. After what felt like forever, McGonagall cleared her throat and looked around the room.

“Thank you for joining me in the moment of silence, but now,” and she clapped her hands, making food appear along the tables, “it’s time for the feast.” She said. With that, everyone began to load their plates and chatter filled the Hall. Hermione reached for a pitcher of pumpkin juice, and noticed that her hand was shaking as she grabbed the handle. She withdrew her hand, not trusting herself to pour much of anything at the moment. Luckily, Neville was sitting next to her and had noticed her small predicament. 

“Would you like some tea?” Neville asked softly, raising an eyebrow at her. She smiled and nodded, he had eventually told her that he always carried calming draught, and she was sure that today he would have put it in his personal pot of tea.

“Oh please. Thank you Nev.” She said, giving him a smile.

* * *

Severus wasn’t surprised that she was nervous, given everything. The last Yule Ball had been the same year that Voldemort came back. Not to mention, he had already caught some of the ministry workers staring at them. They were sitting extremely close to the Weasleys, and he had a feeling that some of the family wasn’t being inconspicuous about their dislike of the couple. Namely, the young man that had been a thorn in his side for six years. The Weasley boy had been staring daggers at them intermittently since he had arrived at the castle.

He was once again grateful for Longbottom, he and Hermione had been close friends since they had both started at the castle, and the young man had been very receptive to her needs. It had unnerved Severus at first, he had thought that Longbottom and Hermione were something of an item. Of course, he had been relieved when he was wrong. He watched as Neville gave her some of his spiked tea, and bit back a sigh of relief when Hermione visibly relaxed after taking a sip. Neville caught his eye over her head and gave a small nod, which Severus reciprocated.

“Are you alright?” Severus asked Hermione softly. She let out a soft sigh and nodded as she set down her teacup. He eyed her for a moment before giving a nod and glancing out over the crowd. He loathed being a chaperone for events, and most unfortunately he was in a profession where he was always the chaperone for events.

Thankfully, the feast was soon over and the music began. McGonagall had asked everyone to stand, and had moved the tables to the sides of the room with magic. Somehow, the Headmistress had gotten The Weird Sisters to come to the school again. The students had jumped up immediately, excited. Severus was sure that his ears would bleed when he heard some of the young students screaming with glee, and when he glanced at Hermione, she once again looked frightened. He lightly touched her hand, and she glanced at him. Hermione gave him a tight smile, and Severus looked around before he stood and held out his hand to her.

“Would you like to walk?” He asked her. She grinned and took his hand. They walked hand in hand around the Great Hall, pausing every few meters to look at the group of students. At one point, Hermione went into the crowd to break up a couple who were locked at the lips. When she came back, she was flushed and politely refused to take his hand again.

“Are you okay?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Erm… Yes.” She said, glancing back at the students before looking down at the ground.

“What happened?” He asked, gently leading her to a corner of the room.

“They just suggested that I make myself busy… With you…” She muttered, her eyes wide. Severus clenched his jaw, he had never had a student be so disrespectful as that.

“Those little..” He turned to storm over to them and tell them off, but Hermione grabbed his arm.

“No… Severus, let me.” She said, no longer flushed. She now looked determined as she took a deep breath and made her way back into the crowd. Severus watched as she, barely older than the students themselves, pulled them by the collars out of the crowd and to a wall. He watched as she disciplined them, and was pleased to see that they looked terrified. A moment later, she returned to him and had a small smile on her face. 

“They have detention with you for a week when term starts again.” She said, and Severus didn’t bother to try to stop the laugh that escaped him. He was still smiling when they were interrupted by Potter.

“Hi Hermione.” He said, leaning in and giving her a hug. He then turned to Severus and inclined his head. “Snape.” He said. Severus stared at him for a moment before sticking out his hand.

“Harry.” He said. The name felt like bile in his throat, but the look Hermione gave him was worth it. “You look well.” He noted, amused at the expression that adorned the young man’s face.

“Erm… So do you…” He said awkwardly. Severus inclined his head and turned to Miss Weasley, who was standing directly next to him.

“Pleasure to see you Miss Weasley. I’ve read of your success in the paper, congratulations are in order I think.” He said to her. She eyed him warily as she replied.

“Thank you Professor, it took a lot of hard work. The captain says that I will start travelling with them in the new season, given my performance at all the home matches.” She said proudly. Next to him, Hermione gasped and gave the young Weasley a hug.

“Ginny, that’s amazing!” She exclaimed. The excited outburst had caught the attention of the matriarch and patriarch of the Weasleys, and Severus stood straighter as he noticed them walking over to the small group. Hermione had warned him that they would want to talk to him, and given their stern looks, they intended on following through. Hermione noticed his new stance and craned her neck to see around the group, and raised her eyebrows when she noticed who he had reacted to. She subtly placed her hand into his before turning her attention to Harry.

“So Harry, how is the Auror office?” Hermione asked, and the young man launched into a discussion about his job. A moment later, Molly and Arthur Weasley joined the group. Severus reached his free hand out and held it out to Arthur. Arthur hesitated for a moment, but just as Severus was going to retract his hand, he reached out and shook it.

“Good to see you Severus. How are you? I was told that the snake bit you? It took a long time for me to heal from that, I hope your healers were able to fix you up alright?” Arthur asked him conversationally.

“Oh yes. In fact, I think they had the same healer who worked on you come I for me. Of course, Hermione here helped me the most. If it hadn’t been for her, I wouldn’t be alive. And of course, Hermione’s potion got rid of the scar as well. Did she ever send you a bottle of it?” Severus asked, grabbing a drink from a passing house elf and taking a sip.

“Oh yes. I was unsure at first, but after talking with Bill, I was convinced. It was wonderful, I’ve had those scars for over three years. It’s nice to not have them anymore.” Arthur said, smiling widely. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Molly nudged him in the ribs and he smiled at her sheepishly. 

“Molly.” Severus said, inclining his head politely. Hermione, at that moment, was distracted by something and turned apologetically to Severus.

“I’m so sorry Severus, I have to go deal with that.” She said, pointing to the refreshment table where there were a group of notoriously mischievous students. He nodded to her before turning his attention back to the Weaselys in front of him. Harry and Ginny looked between them for a moment before excusing themselves and walking away.

“Severus.” Molly said, glaring at him. “We need to talk.” She said to him, and he raised an eyebrow.

“Of course Molly.” He said, gesturing for them to follow him outside. He led the way to the snow covered courtyard, pausing under a arch that had left a dry patch on the ground. Severus waved his wand, casting a warming charm around the area.

“Severus. Hermione is a child.” Molly said as he stuffed his wand back into his robe pocket. 

“With all due respect Molly, Hermione is an adult.” Severus said, crossing his arms.

“You are old enough to be her father Severus!” She exclaimed.

“I am aware of my age Molly. Her’s as well. I brought that to her attention, and she isn’t opposed to our age difference.” Severus said calmly.

“This is irresponsible Severus.” She said in a warning tone.

“Molly…” Severus started, but she held up a hand to silence him.

“Severus, if you do anything to hurt that girl… I will do everything I can to make sure you never see the light of day again.” Molly said. Severus glanced at Arthur, who looked grossly uncomfortable standing next to them. He noticed Severus looking at him, and decided to step in.

“We love her like a daughter Severus. We don’t want anything to happen to her. And since she lost her own parents, we like to imagine she thinks of us as parents as well.” Arthur said, sounding diplomatic.

“You both need to understand that I would never do anything to hurt Hermione. I did everything I could to fight this happening. I tried to stop this, I tried to stop feeling how I do about her, but Hermione is a wonderfully stubborn woman. I never meant for this to happen, but do not misunderstand me, I am not sorry I am with her. I intend to make the rest of her life as easy as I can.” Severus said to them, watching Molly’s reaction more than Arthur’s.

“She’s had too hard of a life.. She’s just getting started.” Molly said, her glare gone and replaced with concern. “Both of you have had a hard life Severus, I just need to know you aren’t making it any harder.” Molly said, reaching out and gently placing a hand on his arm.

“Thank you Molly, but you don’t need to be concerned.” Severus said. “Shall we head back inside?” He asked, noticing that his warming charm was wearing off.

“I think that’s a grand idea.” Arthur said, looking to his wife. Molly nodded in agreement, and Severus led the way back into the castle.

Students had begun to make their ways to their common rooms when Severus was approached by a woman from the Master’s Board. She walked up to him, looking stern. Severus raised his brows at her, surprised it had taken this long for anyone to approach him. He grabbed two drinks from a passing elf and offered her one, thankful that she accepted it, and took a deep drink.

“Severus.” She sighed, and he nodded.

“I know.” He replied, looking out at the remaining students. He caught the gaze of Hermione, who was dancing with an enthusiastic Harry Potter, and she grinned at him. 

“You know there will be an inquiry into the matter?” She asked, and he nodded. “Should we be worried about the outcome?” She asked him, and he let out a harsh laugh.

“Absolutely not. I was nothing but fair with her, I treated her as I would have any other apprentice.” He said, she raised her brows at him before nodding.

“That’s reassuring to hear Severus.” She said, patting him on the arm. “I can’t say I look forward to seeing you in the new year.” She said, giving him a tight smile before walking away from him.


	25. Chapter 25

“Severus, how can you be so calm?” Hermione asked as they walked to the Ministry for their hearing. The Board had waited until almost February to call both of them in for hearing, and Hermione was obviously nervous. Severus, on the other hand, seemed extremely calm and collected as they reached the visitor’s entrance into the Ministry.

“I’ve told you, it will be fine.” He muttered, pulling her into a hug. “I promise you, it will be fine.” He said, and she nodded into his shirt.

“I know… I know..” She whispered as they broke their embrace. “I’m glad Minerva will be there…” She said in a happy tone.

“Indeed.” Severus said, nodding once. Hermione bit her lip, and they made their way together down into the Ministry in silence. They were met by a Board member, who led them to the courtroom that the hearing would be held in. 

Hermione remembered the courtrooms from when they had broken into the Ministry, but they were different now that there weren’t dementors hanging over them. She took a deep, calming, breath and reminded herself that everything would be fine. She had to keep reminding herself that she and Severus hadn’t actually done anything wrong, that this inquiry was just going to solidify that. After what seemed like forever, the Board members pulled themselves together and started with the proceedings.

“We call this hearing to order.” One said, nodding to the transcriber, who dipped her quill into a full bottle of ink. Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat just as her name was called.

“Miss Hermione Granger, will you please take the chair?” The official said, gesturing to the large iron chair in the middle of the room. Hermione stood and slowly walked to the chair, her hands clenched into fists to prevent them from shaking. She sat down, grateful that the chains didn’t wrap around her like she supposed they would if she had been a criminal.

“Miss Granger, would you agree to take a potion that will indicate if you are telling the truth or lying?” The official asked, and Hermione eyed him suspiciously.

“Veritaserum?” She asked to clarify.

“No miss, just a potion that will place an aura around you. It will be green if you are truthful, and turn black if you lie.” He elaborated, an she nodded.

“Then yes, I consent.” She voiced nervously, watching the transcriber in the corner of her eye. Someone walked to her, a small vial in hand, and gave her a kind smile before handing her the glass. Hermione took it, and glanced back at Severus before she drank it in one gulp. Once again facing the Board, the questions began.

“When did you become an Apprentice to Severus Snape?” The officiator asked.

“We signed the contract in August, 1998.” Hermione answered.

“Do you feel you received special treatment?”

“Not when it came to me being an apprentice. Well yes actually, only once. I had what muggles call a panic attack on Halloween. The students decided to decorate their arms in Dark Marks, and I had to leave the room. He allowed me that hour to pull myself together, but I was back in class the next hour.” Hermione said, beginning to calm as each minute passed. She watched as someone leaned over and passed the officiator a paper, which he read before nodding.

“You say ‘not when it came to you being an apprentice.’ What do you mean by that?” He asked. Hermione glanced at Severus, who nodded his head.

“I have nightmares. About the war, about what happened to Harry, Ron, and I while we were out there. On occasion, I scream in my sleep. I mean that I maybe got special treatment just as a person from him. You have all met him, and I am fully aware how he is perceived. He always took care to make sure I was alright, and that my nightmares didn’t trouble me.” She elaborated, though she left out the part of him coming into her chambers to check on her.

“Thank you.” The officiator said. “Now, when did you develop romantic feelings for Severus Snape?” He asked, and Hermione balked. She didn’t actually know the exact answer to this question, she tried to think about it, but couldn’t come up with an answer.

“Erm… I’m not really sure. I suppose it was right around the Christmas party after I became an apprentice.” Hermione answered. 

“And when, Miss Granger, did you make your feelings for Mister Snape known?” He asked her, and again she was unsure of the timeline. She wracked her brains, attempting to remember just when she had revealed her feelings for him.

“It was during the summer. I kissed him on the cheek the night he told me that I had gotten a job at Hogwarts. A while after that, I’m not exactly sure when, I used my serum to get rid of his Dark Mark. It was when we found out that Death Eaters had broken out of Azkaban. I used the serum, and it worked, and well.. I kissed him. That’s… I suppose that’s when I revealed that I had romantic feelings for him.” She answered carefully, and they seemed to be satisfied with her response.

“Our last question for you, Miss Granger, have you ever received special treatment because of your relationship with Mister Snape?” He asked, and her mouth fell open at the allegation.

“Absolutely not.” She replied.

They excused her from the seat, and Hermione was allowed to go back into the stands. They then called Severus down to the chair. She watched as he elegantly made his way down the stands and down to the uncomfortable chair. They asked him if he would take the same potion Hermione did, he shortly agreed and they began the questioning.

“Mister Snape, did you ever give Miss Granger special treatment?” The officiant asked.

“Yes, but not in a way that would have affected her career. As she stated before, I made sure that she felt safe, and I would assist her in dealing with her nightmares. I treated her as a friend rather than only a student. As you may recall, my last apprentice didn’t last long and I changed my tactic on how I treated her.” He answered, and Hermione watched his aura remain green.

“Why did you change your tactic with Miss Granger? Why not just treat her the same and see what happened?” He asked.

“Because I taught her. I know her drive, and I watched her talent grow immensely as I taught her. Her talent may surpass even my own. I know, that eventually, I will need a replacement and I feel that Miss Granger is the best I would find.” He said, and Hermione felt her cheeks warm at his praise of her. 

“Miss Granger mentioned that she was excused from a lesson, would you not consider that a special privilege?” 

“No.” 

“Why not? Would you have done the same thing for a student?” The officiant asked.

“Given the recent events of the last few years, yes. I would have done the same for any student. These last few years have been taxing on the children of our world, and I would excuse a student from my class if I thought they would be unable to perform properly.” Severus responded.

“When did you develop feelings for Miss Granger?” the officiant asked bluntly.

“I didn’t realize it at first. I knew the smell of my amortentia had changed, though I didn’t know at first what it had changed to. Eventually I did though, and I was actually speaking with Minerva when I realized it. I didn’t… I didn’t handle it well. I tried my hardest to fight what I felt, only confiding in Minerva.” Severus answered, looking uncomfortable, but his aura remained green.

“Severus Snape, why did you fight your feelings?” The officiant asked, surprising everyone.

“Excuse me?” Severus asked.

“Why? Why did you fight your feelings?” He asked again, and Severus sat straighter in his chair.

“Because it was not appropriate.” He answered bluntly.

“And how has that changed since then?” 

“Frankly, we are both adults. Miss Granger is no longer my student, and therefor it’s not inappropriate.” Severus said, raising an eyebrow. There were a few whispers around the room, but the officiator held up his hand and silence quickly fell once more.

“Mister Snape, when did you make your feelings known to Miss Granger?”

“I suppose it was the morning after I found out about Rowle escaping Azkaban.” He answered, the color of his aura unwavering. “Before you ask, that was also the day we decided to begin pursuing our… relationship.” He offered up without prompting.

“Thank you Mister Snape. We would now like Headmistress McGonagall to testify.” The officiator said, and Severus and Minerva switched so that she was in the chair. Compared to how Hermione imagined herself sitting in the chair, McGonagall looked regal as they began questioning her.

“Headmistress, in your opinion did Severus Snape give Hermione Granger any special treatment?” He asked, and Hermione struggled to not roll her eyes at the repeated question.

“No.” She answered simply.

“No? That contradicts their testimonies.” He stated, staring down at her over his glasses.

“You asked if I thought he had given her any special treatment, and my answer is no. I do not consider what he did for her to be special treatment, as I believe he would have done that for anyone that he cared for.” She stated.

“Headmistress, are you implying that Severus Snape treated her the way he testified because he had romantic feelings for her?” The officiator asked. Minerva scoffed, making Hermione’s eyes go wide.

“No. She saved his life. He was grateful for that, and felt indebted to her. He felt a responsibility for her safety.” She explained.

“In your opinion, did Severus Snape agree to have her as an apprentice for the sole reason being that she saved his life?” The officiator asked.

“No. He taught her potions for five years, and Miss Granger has always shown remarkable talent. Though I do think that the fact she saved his life helped solidify her position, as she used potions and quick thinking to do so.” Minevra answered.

“Does Hermione Granger have what it takes to be a Potions Master?” The officiator asked, making Hermione’s heart beat hard against her chest.

“Without a doubt she does.” The headmistress said immediately, making a small smile appear on Hermione’s face.

“Does anyone have any more questions?” The officiator asked, looking at the other Masters in the room. Everyone shook their heads, and he nodded. “Very well. Let us deliberate for a moment. If you will please make your way into the hallway.” He gestured to the door, and the three of them rose from their seats and exited the room silently. They all took a seat on the singular bench that sat in the hallway, and remained silent until Hermione had to ask.

“Why didn’t they have you take the potion that Severus and I took?” She asked, leaning forward on the bench to see Minerva beside Severus.

“I met with them before and consented for them to give me Veritaserum. It’s why they waited until last to have me testify, they were waiting for it to take effect.” She said nonchalantly.

“Why would you do that?” Severus asked, his brow furrowing.

“I wanted to be sure that they knew I wasn’t just trying to make you both sound good so I could keep you at Hogwarts.” She answered, peering over her glasses at him. They were all silent for a moment, until a member of the Board exited the courtroom.

“We’re ready for you.” She said, holding the door open for them. They filed into the room, and stopped in the middle of the floor as instructed to receive the verdict.

“Severus Snape. We deliberated, and though some desired to strip you of your Master title, you truly never broke any rules. However, we feel that your actions were highly unethical. For this reason, we have decided that you will not be permitted to ever have another apprentice.” The officiator said, making Hermione’s mouth fall open in shock. She turned to look at Severus, who had raised his eyebrows.

“Is that all?” He asked. The officiator glanced around at the members of the Board before nodding.

“Yes, Master Snape. Thank you all for coming, you are excused.” He said, standing and giving a nod to them before leading the Board out of the room. 

* * *

“Are you sure you are alright?” Hermione asked as they sat in the lab, waiting for their potions for the hospital wing to finish simmering. 

“Yes. I told you, I am fine with not having another apprentice.” Severus told her again. “As I told you, I trained you to take over for me. I won’t have to train anyone else.” He stated.

“I just… this all happened because of me.” Hermione said softly. Severus looked up at her from his cauldron, frowning.

“Don’t blame yourself. It was both of us, we both made this decision.” He said to her, and she shook her head.

“I kissed you. I basically forced you into this.” She said, jumping a little as he stood suddenly. She watched him as he walked to her and pulled her to her feet before pulling her into an embrace.

“Tell me Hermione, do I seem like the kind of man who would allow himself to be forced into a romantic relationship?” He asked gently, making her laugh a little.

“Of course not.” She said, wrapping her arms around him. 

“I love you Hermione. You would be worth losing my job.” He said to her, making her shake her head.

“Don’t say that.” She said to him, glaring. He let out a sigh and stared down into her eyes.

“You really don’t think so?” He asked her. “Hermione… I would do anything for you.” He said, and Hermione found herself unable to breath at the sincerity in his voice. Her mouth was open slightly, and it seemed that Severus didn’t want to waste the moment, as he quickly ducked slightly and kissed her.

“Don’t ever let yourself lose your job for me.” She told him when they separated, and he rolled his eyes at her.

“Very well love.” He said, kissing her forehead before walking back to his potion.

* * *

“That’s all? He can’t ever have another apprentice? Well that’s nothing then. Seems to me like you’re the only person he’s ever liked anyway.” Neville said to her when she told him about the hearing.

“That’s not true, Severus and Minerva are close.” She said, rolling her eyes at him.

“He never had to teach her though.” He pointed out.

“Malfoy, then! He cares about Malfoy.” She said, smiling.

“Does he count? Isn’t Snape his godfather?” Neville asked.

“Yes.” She mumbled. “But he didn’t have to care about him.” She defended. They stared at each other for a moment before they realized how absurd they sounded and began laughing.

“Malfoy is almost done with his house arrest, isn’t he?” Neville asked when they had both calmed down.

“Erm, I think he is already actually. I think the first of the year was the last day.” Hermione said, thinking back. “Severus had plans to go see him, but with the whole… inquiry… I don’t think he ever did.” She said, biting her lip in thought.

“Well… Maybe that could be a nice surprise for him? Get in contact with Malfoy and make a plan to go see him on the next free weekend. Quidditch is almost over, shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. You just have to send an owl to Malfoy.” Neville suggested. Hermione stared at him for a moment, before nodding slowly.

“That’s not a terrible idea…” She said softly. “Although, I might have to start calling him by ‘Draco’ if I’m going to be taking Severus to visit him.” She said, and Neville nodded in agreement.

“I’m sure if you walked around Malfoy Manor calling him ‘Malfoy’, it might get a bit confusing.” Neville said before his eyes went wide. “Wait no… I’m sorry.” He groaned.

“Obviously you wouldn’t go to Malfoy Manor. I’m so sorry.” Neville said apologetically. 

“Neville.. it’s fine.” Hermione said, placing a hand on his arm. “I won’t be going to the Manor any time soon.” She said, and he nodded.

“I’m sorry.” He said again, and she shook her head.

“Neville, I promise everything is okay.” She said, smiling widely at him.

“I haven’t asked in a while, I feel like a bad friend. How have your nightmares been?” He asked her, tilting his head to the side.

“Honestly, they have mostly just been playing over that night that Rowle broke into Severus’ house.” She told him, and he nodded. “But, I haven’t had one in a while. It’s nice… I’m not dreaming, but I’m not having any nightmares either.” She told him, but the glare she got in return was unexpected. She raised her eyebrows and kept her gaze even with his.

“Hermione… have you been taking dreamless sleep?” Neville asked.

“No. Neville, I know it’s addictive. I haven’t taken it in a few months actually. I just haven’t been dreaming at all.” She explained, and he nodded slowly. “Hand me that.” She said, pointing to a small bottle next to him. He passed it to her, and she poured it into the cauldron in front of her.

“What are you making anyway?” He asked her, scrunching his nose at the smell that emitted from the substance.

“I’m trying to make something that would act like a protego charm. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement inquired to George about it, and he mentioned it in passing. I told him I would try to fix something up.” Hermione said, glancing up at him.

“Why does it smell so bad?” Neville asked, and she bit her lip.

“Erm… I’m not sure.” She admitted. “I charmed some Flobberworm Mucus with Protego, its properties allow charms to stick to it.”

“Flobberworm Mucus? Hermione, that stuff is really reactive…” Neville said, peering over the side of the cauldron. “Hermione… that doesn’t look so good….” He said slowly. Hermione bit her lip and pushed her hair away from her face.

“I don’t know what went wrong…” She sighed, lifting her wand to vanish the mess in front of them. “Oh well.” She said with a shrug. She flicked her wand, but instead of vanishing the potion, there was a loud bang.


	26. Chapter 26

Severus had to blow the door off of it’s hinges to get into the lab, and he almost froze at the scene in front of him. Smoke poured out of the room, and Severus immediately squinted and scanned the room as he ran in. There were flames sticking to the wooden tables around the table, and a putrid smell filled the room. He gagged slightly, the smoke and rotten smell forcing it out of him. 

“Hermione!” He shouted, coughing. He heard shouts in the corridor, but continued further into the room. Why did her favorite cauldron have to be in the furthest corner of the room? He heard a cough, and felt relief flood through him. He followed the sound, and saw black robes through the smoke. She had been thrown against a cauldron that was still intact, and she looked to be in a great deal of pain.

“Sev--” Her voice was interrupted by a cough.

“I’m here.” He said, kneeling down to pick her up, but she shook her head violently. 

“Nev-” She coughed roughly, “Nev is here.” She said, pointing a shaking hand to the corner of the room. Severus felt his stomach plummet as he noticed the mass that was under a burning table.

“I’ll come back.” He promised, attempting to wrap his arms around her to take her out of the room.

“No!” She cried, wincing and clutching her ribs. Tears began to stream down her face as she took a deep breath. “Get him.” She said through clenched teeth before another fit of coughing overtook her.

“Fuck.” He muttered under his breath. He nodded to her, and quickly made his way to the table. He paused, he wished he could use a flame-freezing charm, but he didn’t want to cast anything as it might react badly with whatever was causing that horrid smell. He let out a frustrated growl before sticking both arms into the flames. He hissed as they licked at his arms, and tried to ignore the pain as his hands made contact with what felt like robes. He grabbed a fistful of the fabric into each hand and pulled hard. He dragged Longbottom out from under the table before lifting him in his arms with a grunt, the boy weighed more than he thought. He staggered out of the room, and walked into a crowd of people.

“Move!” He barked hoarsely, he had been breathing in far too much smoke for his voice to remain normal. “Get Minerva!” He said, setting Longbottom down on the floor leaning against the wall. He took a deep breath, his lungs burning, before turning back to the room. He ran to where Hermione was, and was horrified to realize that she was no longer conscious.

“Please be okay.” He whispered, leaning down and lifting her up. He held her tight against his chest, walking as fast as he could back out of the door. He laid her gently next to Longbottom, and turned back to the room, lifting his wand. 

“Aqua Eructo!” He called out, bracing himself as a stream of water rushed out of his wand. As soon as the water had extinguished the various fires around the room, Severus vanished the smoke and turned his attention back to Hermione and Longbottom. Minerva came running down the corridor, Madam Pomfrey close on her heels.

“Severus! What-” She stopped mid sentence, covering her mouth with one hand as she took in the scene.

“I don’t know.” He choked out.

“Off to bed, the lot of you!” Minerva called, shooing the students out of the corridor. Madam Pomfrey knelt down next to Longbottom, and pulled her wand out.

“Check her vitals Severus, make sure she is breathing and has a heartbeat.” She said, not looking up from Longbottom. Severus nodded, and took a deep breath before pressing his fingers to her neck, he held his breath as he searched for the telltale thump of a heartbeat, only releasing it when he finally felt the small thump against his finger. He lay her down on the ground, and placed his head against her chest, once again holding his breath. His brow furrowed when he heard her take in a breath, it didn’t seem normal.

“I don’t understand….” Pomfrey said, shaking her head as she began to take Longbottom’s vitals the muggle way as Severus just had. 

“What is it?” Minerva asked, worry seeping through her voice.

“My charms aren’t working.” She answered. “His vitals are fine, but my charms weren’t reading anything.” She clarified. 

“Is it your wand Poppy?” Minerva asked, looking down at the other woman with concern. She looked down at her wand and flicked it, setting the tip alight.

“No…” She said, looking down at Longbottom with a bewildered expression.

“Poppy!” Severus said, panicking as he noticed blood trickling from Hermione’s mouth. She then turned her attention to Hermione, and after casting a couple charms she shook her head.

“We need to get them to the Hospital.” She said.

“Okay.” Severus agreed quickly, standing and conjuring a gurney.

“No, Severus. They need St. Mungo’s.” Poppy clarified.

“Oh.” He said, nodding. “Right.”

* * *

It had only taken a moment for the medi-wizard to apply a salve and wrap Severus’ wrists and forearms, though he had taken a moment to chastise him about sticking his hands into fire. As soon as he was able, Severus had asked where Hermione was and was in her room.

“Oh Hermione, you foolish girl.” He muttered, pulling the bedside chair closer to her and sitting down. He gently picked up her hand and kissed it. “What did you do?” He whispered, shaking his head as he looked over her. She was in a hospital gown that covered the vast majority of her, but he could see dark burn marks on her neck. He could only assume that they were covering her. He stayed by her side, holding her hand, until a medi-witch came to check on her.

“Has she stirred at all?” She asked, glancing at Severus who shook his head. “Well that’s alright. We fed her a potion that should stop her internal bleeding, but for some reason our charms aren’t working to be sure.” She told him.

“Why aren’t charms working?” Severus asked.

“We can’t be sure, no charms are working on Miss Granger or Mister Longbottom. Do you have any idea what they were working on when the explosion happened?” She asked him. He shook his head silently, staring intently at the unconscious woman in front of him. “Well fortunately, it seems that Mr. Longbottom is in better condition than Miss Granger here, we hope he will wake soon and possibly be able to tell us what they were working on.” Severus chose not to acknowledge her statement, and continued to just stare at Hermione. The medi-witch left soon after, leaving him to himself.

He was lost in his own mind, attempting to think about what they could have been doing to cause an explosion in the lab. He thought back to the state of the room, and sighed. The smoke had been so thick that he hadn’t seem much of the room, but he remembered the horrid smell that had been wafting from the room and into the corridor. He hadn’t been able to put a finger on the smell when he had rushed into the room, and it frustrated him that he still didn’t know what the vital clue could be. He was interrupted from his thoughts by a knock on the closed door behind him. He stood and opened it to find his godson standing in front of him.

“Draco? What in Merlin’s name are you doing here?” Severus asked, furrowing his brows.

“McGonagall told me what happened.” The young man said, peering around Severus into the room. “Are you going to invite me in? Or are we waiting out here?” Draco asked, raising a questioning brow at him. Severus sighed and stepped aside, allowing Draco to enter the room.

“Why are you here?” Severus asked as he took his seat beside Hermione once more. Draco pulled another chair to the opposite side of Hermione, and took a seat before answering.

“I couldn’t very well leave you to stew in your own thoughts.” He said, relaxing into the chair.

“Minerva?” Severus asked. Draco let out a laugh and nodded.

“She was worried about you being alone.” Draco said, shaking his head. 

“I’m not alone.” Severus said glaring at him.

“No offense, but I don’t think Granger is the best company right now.” Draco replied, gesturing to her. Severus frowned and furrowed his brow, not finding a valid argument to make. “Are you alright? McGonagall said that you were hurt too?” Draco asked after a pause.

“I’m fine. They healed me just fine its…” He trailed off, the concept of spells not working on either of them still stuck in his mind.

“What?” Draco asked, leaning forward.

“For some reason, spells and charms don’t seem to be working on Hermione or Longbottom.” Severus said, watching as Draco’s eyebrows knitted together.

“How is that possible without a protego charm?” Draco asked, glancing down at Hermione. Severus shook his head and sighed.

“I don’t know.” They were both silent for a long moment, before Severus decided that silence wouldn’t help him distract himself from the problem at hand. “I meant to visit.” Severus told Draco.

“You had that whole inquiry business, I forgive you.” Draco said, waving his hand at him. “Which reminds me, you never told me that you and Granger were seeing each other.” Draco said with a smirk.

“Seeing as everyone read about it in the Daily Prophet, I hardly found it necessary to tell anyone about it.” Severus said. 

“Hm… I suppose that’s true. Would have been nice for me to know before everyone else though, it’s a shocking thing to read about.” Draco said, pushing his hair out of his face and staring at Severus pointedly.

“Well, no undoing the past. Now you know.” Severus said, gently taking Hermione’s hand once more.

“How long have you two…?” Draco gestured vaguely at them, not finishing his question.

“Since the summer.” Severus answered simply.

“And you’re happy?” Draco asked.

“Right now? No.” Severus answered, Draco let out a laugh and shook his head.

“In general, with your relationship, with your job?” Draco asked.

“Well… yes.” Severus said, glancing up at his godson.

“Good.” 

Just as Severus was about to suggest that they go get some food, as it was getting late, a medi-witch burst into the room, looking excited. Severus stood after he took in her facial expression, and she grinned at him.

“Mister Longbottom is awake, he’s looking for you.” She told him. Severus turned back and looked at Hermione, worried about leaving her, and Draco waved his hand at him.

“I’ll stay here, you go.” He said. Severus looked at him for a moment, before nodding and exiting the room behind the medi-witch. They walked a few doors down before turning into a room on their left. Longbottom immediately looked relieved when he saw Severus, and sat up quickly.

“Professor, where’s Hermione?” Neville asked, looking confused.

“I’m so sorry, Miss Granger is still unconscious.” The medi-witch said before Severus could answer him.

“Longbottom, what were you and Hermione working on?” Severus asked, hoping that Longbottom would be able to give him a sufficient answer.

“She told me that George Weasley asked her about it. It was some… drinkable protego charm? Sir!” He said, his eyes growing wide. “Sir, she used Flobberworm Mucus charmed with protego.”

“Flobberworm Mucus.” Severus sighed. “That’s what the smell was… Longbottom, stay still.” He said, drawing his wand out. He saw a flicker of fear cross Longbottom’s face, but then hard resolve. “I’m not going to curse you.” Severus said, agitated. He cast a charm over Longbottom, the same he had heard Poppy mutter earlier, and was pleased when a green glow surrounded him. He nodded to himself before turning to the medi-witch, she looked shocked that the spell had worked.

“It-” She began, but Severus cut her off. 

“Might you attend to Hermione Granger now?” He asked. She nodded, and hurried out of the room. He inclined his head to Longbottom once before exiting the room and making his way back to Hermione’s, where he found an irate Draco standing outside of her room.

“They kicked me out! Arses! The lot of ‘em!” He shouted, his face red.

“Calm yourself Draco, they can use spells on them again.” Severus said, although he couldn’t keep the worry from his face. Draco took a few deep, angry, breaths and his face slowly worked back to its natural pale color.

“Longbottom?” He asked. Severus turned his head and raised an eyebrow at him. Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. “I might not like him, but if him and Hermione were exposed to the same thing…” He trailed off, staring at Hermione’s door ahead of them.

“He’s fine, looked like he had a few burns, but otherwise fine.” Severus answered.

“Do you think…?” Draco left his question unfinished, but Severus understood what he was attempting to convey.

“I don’t know.” Severus answered honestly. They fell into a silence, both of them just standing in the middle of the corridor staring at the closed hospital door in front of them. 

It felt like hours they were standing in the corridor, watching people pass them and waiting for the door to open. More than once, someone exited the room looking frenzied. Severus would try to ask them something, but they would only spare him a quick glance before walking briskly away. They would return, arms full of potions, and enter the room just as quickly as they had entered it. Severus felt that he had been more than patient with this, but he had lost that patience. He stood ready to grab the next person to leave the room, ready to get some answers. The door opened, and he reached out to grab the first person to leave, but instead of just the usual one medi-witch, a large group exited the room, looking relieved. The last person to exit the room caught sight of Severus, and took the few steps over to him. She reached out her hand and grasped his in a tight handshake.

“You must be Mister Snape, I’m Medi-witch McClain, I’ve been in charge of the care of Miss Granger.” She introduced herself.

“Is she okay?” Severus asked quickly. He saw her eyes flick to his side, where he knew Draco was standing next to him.

“Erm… I’m not sure if I should-” She began, though he quickly cut her off.

“Is. She. Okay?” Severus asked, his teeth clenched together tightly.

“Yes sir.” She answered quickly. “I do apologize that nobody has given you any information until now, but there was a few… complications.” She said nervously.

“What do you mean?” He asked, furrowing his brow.

“We thought that we had stopped her internal bleeding before, but we had just slowed it down. She had lost too much blood, and we had to pinpoint where the bleeding was coming from to stop it. Her burns… There was so much residue from the potion she had been brewing, we had to clean it out slowly the muggle way and care for it. The burns have affected a large bit of her side, we have a salve on it now to prevent any sort of infection, but we didn’t want to douse a potion on it just in case it reacted badly with any other potions we had given her or the potion that had affected her before.” The medi-witch explained everything carefully.

“Thank you.” Draco said, when it became obvious that Severus wasn’t speaking. “May we go in and see her?” He asked, flashing the witch a charming smile.

“Oh, yes of course.” She replied, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks. “She is sleeping now, and she needs it, so be sure not to wake her.” The medi-witch warned, before walking away with the backs of her hands pressed to her red cheeks. 

Severus led the way into the room, and returned to his seat next to Hermione. He took in a deep breath, and felt relief flood through his chest. He felt a stinging in his eyes, and opened them wide as he took another deep breath, he was not going to shed a tear in front of his godson. Draco cleared his throat after seeing the expression on his face, and averted his eyes.

“I’ll go to the cafe and get us some coffee, would you like anything else?” He asked. Severus shook his head, not particularly wanting the coffee either but knowing it might help. His godson nodded and exited the room, closing the door softly behind him.

“You stupid girl…” Severus muttered, taking a shaky breath and allowing the stinging in his eyes to grow. He reached out and gently took her hand in his. “Stupid, stupid girl.” He muttered again, shaking his head and roughly wiping tears away from his eyes. “I love you.” He whispered as his vision cleared. He found himself able to take normal breaths again, and gently brought her hand to his lips. He felt her hand twitch, and remembering what the medi-witch had warned, he slowly placed her hand back down on the bed and waited for Draco to return.

The coffee was a relief, as the warmth of it flooded through him. He cradled the mug in his hands, and watched as Draco did the same across the bed from him. His godson was staring down into his mug, watching as the steam from the hot drink rose. Severus had watched him enough over the years to know that Draco was deep in thought, and he decided that he had suffered enough of the silence.

“What?” He asked, Draco rose his head and raised his eyebrows. “What are you thinking?” Severus expanded on his question.

“Just…” He glanced at Hermione, “how did this happen?” He asked.

“You already know, a potion exploded.” Severus said, wondering if somehow his godson had suffered brain damage to make him forget their conversation.

“No, not that. How did you and Hermione, how did this happen?” He asked, gesturing to the two of them. “I’ve been going over everything. Everything that could have led to the two of you, and I just can’t figure it out.” Draco explained. Severus leaned back in his chair and let out a chuckle.

“Well first, she saved my life. She came down to the Shrieking Shack and saved me. She would visit me when I was stuck here after… well after everything. She told me that she testified for me at the trials. After everything she had been through, everything I had put her through, she still decided to ask me if she could be my apprentice. You can’t deny that she’s brilliant.” Severus said, gazing fondly at the woman in front of him. Draco let a small smile grace his face, and leaned forward in interest. “The first potion that we brewed with the sixth years was amortentia. It smelled like her, my entire life it had smelled like Lily Evans, but it changed that day. I didn’t know at first, I figured it out later, but I knew it had changed. I- well, we- fought our feelings. It was wrong. She is twenty years younger than me, she was my student. Everything told me that I needed to keep my distance, but with her nightmares and being my apprentice, it was just too difficult. We became friends.” He was silent for a moment, just staring at Hermione. He dragged his eyes away from her when Draco cleared his throat, and took a sip of his now lukewarm coffee.

“You really want to hear this?” He asked, feeling slightly embarrassed.

“I really do. My parents never had a love story to tell me, I want to hear yours.” Draco said, avoiding his gaze.

“Very well.” Severus sighed. “She passed her Master’s Board early, according to her contract she was to stay at Spinner’s End during holidays. I told her that she didn’t have to stay since she had already completed her Board, but she said that she wanted to and that she didn’t want to stay with Potter or her friends. Everything just… changed that summer. Rowle attacked her at my home, and I stayed with her that night. That night really just changed everything. The next morning, she confronted me about how she felt. She said that she wanted to be with me. After a discussion, we agreed. We would keep it a secret from everybody, except Minerva. I wouldn’t have been able to hide that from her very well. Minerva decided to throw the Yule Ball, and of course people noticed that we were together in more that just a colleague way. Then, of course you know about the inquiry, and that brings us to now.” Severus concluded, downing the remainder of his coffee.

“That’s it?” Draco asked, raising his eyebrows.

“That’s all.” Severus affirmed.

“Simple.” Draco said, looking down into his mug.

“I suppose, yes.” Severus agreed with a nod, turning his gaze back to Hermione.

“Did you ever find out what she and Longbottom had been working on?” Draco asked.

“Yes. She was attempting to brew a drinkable protego charm. Something that the user would be able to use at all times, instead of keeping a protego up.” Severus answered, Draco let out a breath of air, looking impressed.

“Wait, is that why spells weren’t working on her or Longbottom?” Draco asked.

“I think so.” Severus nodded his head. “But they didn’t ingest it, I don’t think so anyway. They did, however, inhale it. I can only assume that charms wouldn’t have been able to work on me either, the medi-wizard who helped me only wrapped the burns I received.”

“That’s incredible.” Draco said, sounding astonished.

“She is.” Severus said, just as Hermione began to stir in the bed.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me!!! I forgot to upload the chapter, I'm so sorry. I am starting the next chapter now, but I really hope that you all like this one. I'm sorry. My bad. Enjoy!

"Severus?" Hermione muttered, blinking her eyes rapidly. She sucked in a breath when she moved her arm to reach out to him, her entire left side was stinging and burning.

"Hermione?" She heard Severus say softly. She felt her left hand being squeezed, and opened her eyes fully.

"Severus. What happened?" She asked, her voice scratchy.

"You mean… you don't remember?" Severus asked slowly.

"Well… I remember the explosion. Something went wrong with the potion." Hermione said, wincing at the pain in her throat. She glanced around the room, instinct telling her that they weren't the only ones in the room, and froze when her eyes landed on the blond man sitting on her other side.

"Hello." Said Draco Malfoy, raising his brows at her.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked, her brows furrowing.

"Well, nice to see you too." Draco said with a smirk. "I heard what happened, and decided to come… Moral support, you know?" He added.

"You? Moral support?" Hermione snorted.

"Well, nice to see you haven't changed much." Draco said, amused. "But yes, moral support." He repeated.

"Hermione." Severus said, capturing Hermione's attention. "How are you feeling?" He asked her. She was silent for a moment, seemingly doing a mental evaluation of her state.

"Well…" She said slowly. "My throat hurts, and my ribs are sore. Other than that… I feel fine." She said, giving him a small smile.

"And your burns?" He asked, knowing that the healers would have only put dittany on it.

"Burns?" She asked, her brow furrowing. Severus leaned closer to her, using a couple fingers to pull the collar of her hospital gown to the side, allowing her to see the burns that covered her shoulder and arm.

"Oh." She said softly, a small frown forming on her face. "Erm… No. I don't feel those." Draco looked concerned at her statement, and made eye contact with Severus.

"Hermione, love. Can you feel this?" He asked, gently pressing a finger against the burn. He watched as tears welled in her eyes, and she shook her head. "Okay. Draco, would you please grab the medi-witch in charge of her?" Severus asked, keeping his voice calm. Draco nodded once before standing and swiftly exiting the room.

"Sev, why can't I feel that?" Hermione asked.

"I'm sure it's nothing, love. Tell me, can you feel this? He asked, grabbing her hand. It had been untouched by the flames, and he was filled with relief when she sighed and nodded.

"Yes." She said, curling her fingers around his hand. "Yes, I can feel that." She repeated.

"Well, than I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." He lied, giving her a forced smile. She flashed him a watery-eyed smile in return as Draco and Medi-witch McClain reentered the room.

"She was just down the hall." Draco told Severus softly when he raised his brows at him.

"Hello dear, nice to see you awake. Would you two please go wait in the hallway?" The witch asked. Severus glanced at Hermione, who gave him a nod, before inclining his head and following Draco out the door. He shut it behind him, and finally let the worry he felt splay across his face.

"Is she going to be alright?" Draco asked in a whisper, not wanting to risk Hermione hearing them talk.

"I'm sure she will be." Severus said, ignoring the skeptical look that Draco gave him.

"She couldn't feel the burns." Draco said pointedly.

"I know." Severus snapped, glaring at the younger man in front of him. "And I'm sure she will be fine." He said again with a curt nod, effectively bringing their conversation to an end. They waited in silence, not even looking at each other, outside of her room. They both sighed with relief when the medi-witch exited the room and clicked the door shut behind her. She glanced at both of them, but turned fully to Severus.

"Hello again." She said, giving him a smile.

"Is she alright?" He asked, ignoring the pleasantries.

"Erm…" She bit her lip and glanced at Draco before sighing. "She specifically told me not to tell, and I quote 'the blond ferret'." She said, obviously holding in a laugh. Draco, however, had no restrain and burst into a full laughter.

"She hasn't changed at all." He said, raising his hands. "I'll just step down the hall." He said, turning and walking a bit down the corridor. Medi-witch McClain quickly regained her composure and turned her attention back to Severus.

"So, from what I can gather at the moment, it appears that Miss Granger has nerve damage. The burns were quite severe, and as a result she lost feeling in those areas. I have already informed Miss Granger, and I also informed her that we could attempt to heal her further, but its risky. She has declined the treatment, but asked me to inform you about her… condition." McClain told him.

"Do you think it likely that she will regain the feeling in her burns?" Severus asked.

"Honestly? I think she might regain some feeling, but I find it unlikely that she will ever regain full feeling in her arm." She told him, looking grim.

"Thank you." Severus said. She nodded to him, and gave him a terse smile before turning and walking away. As soon as she had passed Draco, he made his way back to Severus.

"What's the news?" Draco asked.

"Nerve damage." Severus said, staring down at the floor.

"Is she going to be alright?" Draco asked, glancing at her door.

"Yes." Severus said, leading them back into her room and taking his seat next to her bed again.

"She told you?" Hermione asked softly, reaching over and taking his hand in hers gently. Severus stayed silent, only nodding once. "It's not that bad…" Hermione assured him. Severus stared at her, his eyebrows raised.

"Well… You can't feel most of your arm." Draco spoke up.

"Yes but I can still move it." Hermione said, glaring at him. "So really, I'm fine. It's just nerve damage. I will be fine." She repeated, looking hard at Severus.

"I know." He finally said.

* * *

When Hermione was finally allowed to leave the hospital, she insisted on returning back to work immediately, despite Minerva's concerns about her. Hermione had vented her frustration to Severus, who had listened silently to her rant before speaking.

"Love, she is only worried about you." He told her, handing her a glass of firewhisky after her meeting with Minerva.

"She doesn't want me to teach alone until I'm 'sure that I am up to the task'." Hermione said, making a face as she repeated the words the headmistress had told her.

"Well, what did you tell her?" Severus asked, pouring a glass of firewhisky for himself and sitting in the spare armchair.

"I told her what I told you, my arm won't get any better, and I can use it just fine. I'm fine and I want to teach." Hermione said, raising an eyebrow at him as if he was going to argue with her. Instead of arguing, he nodded.

"So, she is allowing you to teach immediately?" He asked.

"Yes, with the condition that if I feel that I am not performing to my best ability that I tell her and take a step back." Hermione said, sipping on her drink.

"Thank Merlin, I am tired of teaching your classes." Severus said. Hermione turned her head to glare at him, but when she noticed he was smirking she let out a chuckle.

"My students are nothing but pleasant to me, you must have said something to make them annoy you." She said with an innocent shrug.

"If I recall correctly, I began each class with telling them you were in the hospital and that I would be taking over until further notice."

"Oh Severus, you should have told them that I was on a lovely holiday in France or something." Hermione sighed, eliciting a rare laugh from Severus.

"Yes, I'm sure that would have made all the difference." Severus said, shaking his head.

"I should go to bed, first day back in the morning." Hermione sighed, setting her now empty glass on the small table between the two armchairs. Severus only nodded, avoiding her gaze by looking in his glass. "Well… Goodnight." Hermione said, watching him as she stood.

"Goodnight, love." He said, glancing at her. She paused, wondering if he would move to give her a kiss before she left. She smiled softly, knowing that affection wasn't his strongest suit and walked to the door. "You could stay." She heard Severus say softly as her hand landed on the handle of the door.

"What?" She asked, startled. She turned back to him, and saw that his eyes were wide as he watched her. He slowly set his glass down on the table and stood up.

"You could stay." He said again, taking a few steps toward her.

"Are- are you sure? I mean… the only time we have ever stayed together was when Rowle…" Hermione trailed off, watching his face as she spoke.

"Hermione, if you don't want to then you don't have to." Severus said hastily, pushing his hair back from his face and turning away from her slightly.

"What? Sev, no. That's not what I meant." Hermione reassured him, walking up to him and placing her hand gently on his arm. "I was asking if you are sure, I would love to." She told him, giving him a small smile.

"Are you sure?" He asked, now looking worried.

"Yes." She sighed, rolling her eyes at him. "Let me just go change out of these robes." She said. He nodded, and she swiftly exited the room. Her heart pounded hard against her chest as she entered her own chamber and closed the door behind her. They had not shared a bed together since the night Rowle had attacked them and Hermione had asked him to stay with her. She was nervous as she went to her wardrobe and pulled out a pair of sweatpants and long sleeve, it got cold in the dungeons at night. She quickly pulled them on, only sparing a wondering thought as to what Severus wore to bed.

She paused outside of his door, and stole a deep breath to calm her nerves before gently opening it again. Her eyes immediately went to Severus, who was sitting on the bed also wearing sweatpants. That was it though, and she couldn't help but stare at his bare chest.

"Would you like for me to put on a shirt?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Oh." Hermione said, averting her eyes and clicking the door shut behind her. "Erm… that's alright." She said, making her way awkwardly to the bed.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked her, making her blush.

"Erm… Just a bit nervous to be honest." Hermione told him softly.

"You.. You don't have to stay if you don't want to." Severus said, looking down at the floor. Hermione took a seat next to him on the bed and gently tugged his hand into hers.

"Severus, I want to stay with you. I'm just worried that it might be awkward." Hermione told him, trying to keep her voice gentle.

"Well... What do you want to do?" Severus asked, letting out a lost sigh and glancing at her.

"I think we should start by blowing out the torches." Hermione suggested. Severus nodded and raised his wand, extinguishing the flames around the room. They were immersed into darkness, and Hermione let out a chuckle. "Maybe we should have a fire though, keep us warm?" She suggested.

"Right." Severus agreed. Hermione heard him make a movement and immediately after there was a roaring fire in the fireplace.

"And now…" Hermione said, swallowing the nervous lump that had formed in her throat. "We just lay down." She finished, scooting herself back on the bed so that she was up by the pillows. She smiled a little at him when he looked back at her, and patted the bed next to her. He stood and walked from the end of the bed to the side she had indicated. She scooted the covers out from under her, and watched him as she slowly laid down in his bed, gauging his reaction as she did so. As soon as she was laying down, he timidly lifted the covers on his side of the bed and gently settled down next to her. Hermione immediately moved closer to him, turning onto her side and placing her head on the arm that he reflexively outstretched. She gently placed a hand on his chest, and smiled a little when he stopped breathing for a moment. She moved her thumb a little, reassuring him, and he began to breathe normal once more. His arm wrapped around her, pulling her close to him. Hermione fell asleep quickly with Severus at her side, and soon enough there was a loud knock at the door waking them both up.

"Severus… Your elf is here." Hermione mumbled, sitting up and pushing the covers off of her before standing. Severus let out a groan and stood, grabbing a shirt from on top of a plush chair and pulling open the door.

"Well, good morning Severus." Hermione heard from the doorway, and she let out a startled squeak. "Oh, Hermione. Nice to see you as well." McGonagall said from the doorway, her eyebrows raised.

"Minerva? Is everything alright?" Severus asked, sounding suddenly wide awake.

"Quite. You have a visitor actually. I thought I would bring you to my office. Seeing as you both are here, why don't you both get dressed and I will meet you at the entrance hall when you are ready." Minerva suggested, nodding to each of them and walking away. Severus was still standing at the door, looking bewildered, when Hermione passed him to exit the room.

"Are you alright?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Hm?" He turned his head to look at her and blinked a couple times before answering. "Oh, yes. I'll see you out here in just a moment." He told her. She nodded and entered her own room, waving her wand and summoning a clean set of robes to herself. She changed quickly, not wanting to keep either Severus or the Headmistress waiting on her. She glanced at herself in the mirror, and realizing that her hair was a disaster, tied it back into a bun. It turned out that she was actually left waiting for Severus, who exited his room a few minutes after her looking frustrated.

"Are you alright?" She asked him.

"Couldn't find a shirt." He grunted. Hermione raised her eyebrows at him, and stared at his shirt.

"Severus, I've seen your closet. I know how many shirts you have." She told him as they began to walk.

"They were all wrinkled." Severus said, running his hands down his shirt.

"Oh… Hm." Hermione said. "Are you that worried about this?" She asked him.

"Well, I've only had Minerva come wake me for an unplanned meeting a couple times, and I was never extremely happy with the outcome." Severus explained, his voice tense.

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." She assured him, grazing the back of his hand with her own in a show of comfort. He nodded, but still looked concerned as the reached the entrance hall.

"Best to get this done before classes start, follow me." Minerva instructed, leading them along the familiar passageway to her office

"Minerva, are you going to tell us why you woke us up two hours before breakfast?" Severus asked, making Hermione smile a little. She had realized months ago that he got very irritable when he was hungry.

"Severus Snape, if you don't allow yourself to be surprised, how exciting is your life?" Minerva asked as they reached the staircase that would take them to her office. "Wulfric." She said to the gargoyle guarding the entrance. The stone came to life at the password, moving aside to allow them to pass.

"No offense Minerva, but I quite think I have had enough surprise to last a lifetime." Severus said, glaring at her from behind.

"Severus, I promise you that you will like this surprise." She said as they climbed the spiral staircase.

"I've heard that before." Severus mumbled, causing Minerva to laugh.

"Are you going to tell me you regret it?" She asked him, turning to face him as they reached her office door and gesturing to Hermione with her eyebrows raised. Severus glanced at her, and she was pleased when his gaze softened ever so slightly and he shook his head.

"No." He said. Minerva seemed satisfied with his answer and opened the door to her office, leading the way inside. Hermione however, stopped after just a few steps as she noticed the fourth person in the room.

"Malfoy?" She asked, surprised to see him. He ignored her, instead giving Severus a hug in greeting.

"What are you doing here?" Severus asked as Draco took a seat at the desk.

"Just discussing some options with the Headmistress." Draco said, nodding to Minerva.

"Options?" Hermione asked, moving further into the room and closing the door behind her.

"Yes, Gran- er- Hermione." Draco said, stunning Hermione further by calling her by her first name. "Employment options." He told her. Hermione raised an eyebrow, staring at the man who had bullied her throughout their school years.

"Excuse me?" She asked, glancing between the Headmistress and Malfoy.

"Well, Mister Malfoy and I have been discussing his options ever since he completed his sentence, and we think that we might have landed on a suitable option." Minerva said, taking her own seat at the desk and knitting her hands together.

"Well, where is he going to be working?" Hermione asked.

"Here." Draco answered.

"Here?" Severus repeated, looking back and forth between his godson and his employer.

"Yes. Mister Malfoy and I have spoken, and decided that I will take him on as my apprentice." Minerva told them. Hermione's mouth fell open in surprise, and she stared at the Headmistress.

"Him?" Hermione asked, gesturing to Draco Malfoy.

"Yes, Miss Granger." Minerva said, raising her eyebrows at Hermione.

"But… he's… that's…" Hermione couldn't seem to form a solid thought to protest this development.

"Hermione, may I speak with you outside?" Severus asked, standing and leading the way out the door. "What has gotten into you?" He asked as the door shut behind them.

"She can't take him on as an apprentice." Hermione said in an angry hushed voice as she gestured to the door.

"Why not?" Severus asked, folding his arms and raising an eyebrow.

"He's a bully! He can't work with children, It's Draco Malfoy. He thinks that the best way to do something is to cheat and charm his way through it." She said heatedly.

"Hermione. That was years ago. Don't you think that he might have changed?" Severus asked her.

"No." Hermione said stubbornly.

"Love, give him a chance." Severus said, gazing at her evenly. "You need to give him a chance."

"I don't like this." She told him.

"Hermione. I didn't like you being my apprentice. Look at where we are now." Severus told her. She let out a defeated sigh and nodded. "Thank you, now will you be civil when we go back inside?" Severus asked her.

"Yes." She said, letting out a deep breath as he opened the door for them to reenter the office.

"I apologize Headmistress, please continue." Severus said as they walked back into the room.

"I'm sorry." Hermione added to the already spoken apology.

"As I was saying," McGonagall continued, gazing at each of them in turn, "Mister Malfoy will be my apprentice."


	28. Chapter 28

Neville took the news about as well as Hermione had, and sat staring at his food with a disturbed look on his face. When McGonagall walked Malfoy into the Great Hall, wearing apprentice robes, Neville’s face became a sheet of white as he stared at him.

“Why?” Neville whispered, turning to look Hermione.

“She wants to give him a chance.” Hermione said, staring down at her own plate.

“Yes, and it won’t hurt the two of you to do the same. He came to the hospital when you lot were ill.” Severus said, leaning forward at the table to look at them both.

“He came to the hospital for you.” Neville pointed out, shaking his head.

“He checked in on both of you though, did he not?” Severus asked, raising an eyebrow at them. Hermione felt the slightest tinge of guilt enter her stomach and let out a sigh.

“He gets one. One chance. For you.” She told Severus evenly in a whisper as McGonagall introduced Malfoy to the school at large. She glanced over at Neville, who nodded in reluctant agreement before turning his attention back to his plate. They were almost done with their meal when they heard a throat clear behind them. Hermione, Neville and Severus all looked behind them to see Malfoy standing there.

“Yes?” Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows.

“I was wondering if I could speak to the two of you during first class?” Malfoy asked Hermione and Neville.

“I teach first class.” Hermione said shortly, turning back to her nearly empty plate.

“I can teach your class one more day.” Severus told her casually. She turned to Neville, hoping that he had a reason to not go either.

“I’m not officially back yet. This next week you can’t use any magic on the plants, and well…” He held up his still burned and bandaged hands and Hermione let out a sigh.

“Is McGonagall okay with you skiving the first class of your apprenticeship?” She asked him, turning back in her chair to face him.

“I already spoke to her about it.” Malfoy said, nodding.

“Fine.” Hermione said through clenched teeth. “Just… Come down to my chambers after breakfast.” She told them. Both Malfoy and Neville nodded in agreement, and Hermione shot Severus an angry glance as Malfoy went back to his seat.

“Love, hear him out.” Severus said to her, placing his hand on hers under the table. She gazed into his eyes for a moment before nodding. “Really listen.” He told her.

“Okay.” She agreed, nodding.

“Thank you.” Severus said, giving her hand a squeeze before standing from his seat. “I’ll see you after class. There’s a free period, and we have a few things to go over.” He told her. She nodded, and watched as he walked away.

“I’ll never understand the two of you.” Neville said, shaking his head.

“Oh you will, you just haven’t found that person.” Professor Sprout said from the other side of Neville, making Hermione laugh at his horrified face.

“I don’t want to find my Snape.” He said softly.

“Oh not Professor Snape- oh never mind.” His master said, sighing and turning her attention elsewhere.

“Come on, we need to get this lot to their classes.” Hermione said, gesturing down to the students and standing.

“Right, yeah.” Neville said, relieved. They walked down to the long house tables and started warning students that they would need to finish their food and start making their way to their classes, as the bell would be ringing shortly. They paused to chat with a couple students, but otherwise had the hall cleared in less than five minutes. Hermione and Neville were leaving the Great Hall when Malfoy ran to join them at their side.

“Sorry, I would have given you a moment, but I have no idea where your chambers are.” He said after seeing the look of annoyance that had crossed Hermione’s face.

“No, it’s fine.” Hermione said, giving him a tight smile. She kept silent as they walked, as did the other two, wondering why Malfoy wanted to talk to them in the first place. He had done his fair share of talking through the years, what on earth did he need to talk to them about? It was probably just a show for Minerva and Severus. She unlocked her door and entered first, trusting that Neville and Malfoy would after after her.

“Shut the door.” She said, not looking back. Whoever entered last did as they were told, and shut the door. She flicked her wand, and listened as the door locked. “Now,” She said, taking a seat at her desk and turning to face Malfoy and Neville. “What did you need to talk to us about?” She asked, pulling her wand from her pocket and holding it tightly as she placed her hand onto her thigh.

Malfoy raised his eyebrows at her bold gesture and took a seat in one of the empty chairs next to the fireplace. Neville took the last empty seat, watching Hermione apprehensively. She smiled at him reassuringly, and watched as he relaxed slightly.

“I wanted to clear the air. I know that… I know that I can’t fix what I did in the past.” Malfoy said, glancing back and forth between her and Neville as he spoke.

“You want to tell us that you’ve changed?” Neville asked, skepticism written all over his face. Malfoy nodded hopefully.

“And we’re just supposed to take your word for it?” Hermione asked, staring at him.

“Well… No I suppose not. Look, I’m willing to work for it. I want to be here. I don’t want to just be known as a Death Eater. I was forced into that, it was never my choice.” Malfoy told them. Neville leaned forward, his eyebrows knitted together.

“What do you mean, you were forced into it?” Neville asked. Hermione glanced at him, then back to Malfoy, who took a deep breath and shut his eyes.

“I said no. At first. I didn’t want to be a Death Eater. My whole life my father had tailored me to be one, but right after Voldemort returned, I realized that it wasn’t what I wanted. He was evil. I might have thought that I was better than people with mixed blood, but… What they were doing? It was too much. And I don’t think that anymore, by the way.” He said, pointedly looking at Hermione, who furrowed her brow.

“Keep going.” She prompted him.

“Right. Voldemort took our house, to use as his headquarters. Father wanted to send me to Durmstrang, he thought some of my classmates were being bad influences on me, making me turn away from the family. I got my dark mark right before sixth year… after being tortured for almost the entire summer.” Malfoy said. Neville’s eyes went wide, but Hermione still didn’t want to believe him.

“You could be pulling this out of your arse, how can we trust you?” She asked him. Neville stared at her, surprised, before looking back to Malfoy.

“You’re right…” Malfoy sighed, standing. Hermione twitched her wand to follow his movements, and he raised his arms up in an innocent gesture. “Do you want proof?” He asked, raising his eyebrows at her. She eyed him for a moment before nodding once, giving him permission to continue. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt and removed it, turning so that his back was facing her. Hermione’s hand flew to her mouth at the angry red scars that were stretched across his back.

“Oh.” She whispered. Malfoy shrugged his shirt back on and sat down as he finished fastening the buttons.

“I had tried to leave the Manor, but I was stopped and taken down to the cellar. They kept me down there, taking turns doing that, until I agreed to take on the mark and the task of killing Dumbledore.” Malfoy told them, looking down at the floor. “My mother tried to stop it, but it didn’t work.”

“And why did that make you realize that blood doesn’t matter? How would that make you realize that you needed to change?” Hermione asked him carefully.

“It wasn’t that. I could mostly handle the torture, but Hermione, it was you that made me rethink everything. While Voldemort was more terrified of Potter, every other Death Eater was terrified of what you could do. I realized that everything I had been fed through the years was wrong. You are muggleborn, but your magic… well let’s be honest- it surpasses most people’s. You made me realize that I was wrong. Not to mention how shite Crabbe and Goyle were, and they were purebloods.” Malfoy said, shaking his head slightly.

“You…. you have changed… haven’t you?” Neville asked, amazed.

“I’ve tried. Of course, I’m not perfect, but I want to fix things. I don’t want either of you to hate me for what I did in school, even though I know what I did was terrible. If we are going to be colleagues, I don’t want us to be on bad terms.” Malfoy told them. Hermione finally set down her wand on her side table and bit her cheek, thinking deeply.

“Are you going to bully the students?” Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You mean like my godfather?” Malfoy asked, smirking at her. A slight blush crept into her cheeks, and she rolled her eyes at him.

“No, I mean like you.” She said. He took a deep breath and brushed his hair out of his face as he let out a sigh.

“No. I won’t. I don’t want to be like I was in school, I want to be different. I’m not the same man, I’m not a child anymore.” Malfoy said.

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek, thinking deeply. He had been a ferret during school, but what if he meant what he was saying? Could someone like Malfoy really change? She thought back, he had come to support Severus when she and Neville were in the hospital. Her mind went to the battle of Hogwarts, at the end he had been on the side of the students, he had left the battle with his mother, but he had been standing with the students when they had thought Harry to be dead.

Hermione looked to Neville, who had been staring at Malfoy. He met her gaze and raised his eyebrows questioningly. She gave him a slight nod, and he nodded back.

“Fine.” She said, turning her attention back to Malfoy. “You get one chance. I want to see the change Malfoy. I want you to surprise me. If I hear one word about you mistreating anyone, I will take it to the headmistress and see to it that you are dismissed.” Hermione threatened him. She watched him as he nodded slowly three times.

“You have my word.” He said.

“No offense Malfoy, but your word means nothing to me. Show me. Now please leave my chambers.” She said, standing and gesturing to the door. Malfoy stood, and with a nod to Hermione and Neville, walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.

“What do you think?” Hermione asked, shifting her gaze from the door to Neville.

“Honestly? I don’t think he’s lying.” Neville said carefully.

“But?” Hermione asked, sensing the hesitation in his voice.

“We’ll just have to wait and see I suppose.” Neville said with a shrug. Hermione nodded and stood.

“We should go, I need to figure out how much Severus has damaged my students.” She said with a small smile. Neville chuckled and shook his head.

“I’ll see you at lunch?” He asked, and she nodded as she opened the door for them to exit as students rushed past the door to their next class.

Hermione made her way to the potions classroom, where she found Severus cleaning up his desk from the class that had just ended. He raised his head as she entered the room, and a flick of a smile played on his face as he turned his attention back to the desk. Hermione leaned her hip against a table and folded her arms as she watched him silently.

“How was your little chat?” He asked as he put the last student’s vial into a box to be graded later by Hermione.

“It was just fine.” Hermione replied, admiring Severus as he took a seat behind the desk. He raised an eyebrow at her, and Hermione’s breath seemed to catch in her throat.

“Are you alright?” Severus asked, watching her. Hermione paused for a moment before nodding and walking over to Severus. She lifted her hand and brushed his hair back, it looked much better this way than letting it fall around his face. “Hermione?” He asked, his brow furrowing.

“I love you.” She told him softly.

“And I, you.” Severus replied, his features softening ever so slightly. Hermione leaned forward and pressed her lips against his, resting her hands gently against his collar. Severus hesitated for a moment before responding to her show of affection. He placed his hands on her waist, and pulled her slightly closer to him, making her knees rest against his leg. Hermione’s heart beat heavily against her chest, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Hermione…” Severus whispered, breaking their kiss and resting his forehead against hers.

“I know… you wanted to discuss.. something.” Hermione said softly with a smile at him. Her heart raced when she heard a slight growl come from Severus, who pulled her lips back to his and began kissing her once more. She felt him remove his hand from her waist, and heard the unmistakable click of the lock on the door, and she smiled against his lips.

“Severus..” She muttered against his mouth. He replied with a groan and pulled her into his lap. She gasped at this development and at this sudden shift, he had never behaved this way toward her before. He continued to kiss her, until Hermione placed her hands on his chest and with a sigh, he pulled his mouth from hers, though he kept her firmly rooted on his lap.

“Well… hello.” Hermione said with a grin as Severus took a deep breath and pushed his hair back with one hand while the other stayed rooted on her waist.

“I’m sorry.” Severus said, slowly moving his hand from her waist, she shook her head and patted his arm gently.

“Don’t be sorry. I just thought you wanted to talk?” Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“I do. We do.” Severus said, shifting a little in the chair and clearing his throat. Hermione took the hint and stood up from his lap. “I wanted to talk to you about our lesson plans. Since I took over your class, your plans have gotten a little off.” He said, reaching onto the desk and grabbing a few papers.

“Letting my class fall behind, are we?” She teased, grabbing the papers he held out to her and taking a seat across from him at the desk. She looked at his notes, and her eyebrows shot up. “What did you do? Why are my classes a week behind?” She asked.

“They don’t listen to me…” Severus muttered, staring at the papers in front of him. Hermione let out a laugh and shook her head.

“How? How do they not listen to you? You are Severus Snape.” She asked, and he let out an exasperated sigh.

“I think you might just be more stern than me with your students. When we worked together you were more relaxed than I was, then I took over your classes and… you run a tight ship.” Severus said, sounding exasperated. Hermione allowed a small smile to play on her lips and tilted her head slightly.

“Well, what can I say? I learned from the best.” She told him, shifting her gaze back down to the lesson plans in front of her. After reading over them, she let out a sigh and grabbed a quill, determined to fix it, and made a mental note to speak to her students about Severus.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Gidgit2u for all of your help writing this chapter!! Couldn't have done it without you. Also, I am so sorry for the long wait for this chapter. There is some smutty bits later in the chapter, but not too much. So be warned. Thank you to all my loyal readers for coming back to this story. Much love- Bookworm

Though it took a while, things seemed to slowly get back to normal. Or close to what normal was for Hermione. One thing that had changed, or maybe wormed itself into her life, was Draco Malfoy. He had begun speaking more and more with Hermione and Neville, and they had even agreed to group up and had gone to Hogsmeade as chaperones. Though he still annoyed Hermione a bit, it was obvious to her that he really was putting in the effort he had promised. They had become something of friends.

"Alright. Let's go, otherwise we'll lose everyone." Malfoy said as they ushered the last students out of the gates. They trudged forward toward the sleepy village town. It was a dreary March day and was lightly drizzling. The three of them made a beeline for Scrivenshaft's; they all needed more supplies for their classes, and Hermione wanted to see their new book selection.

Hermione was next to a stand of newspapers and advertisements, flipping through a book, when Malfoy walked to stand next to her. She glanced at him just in time to see him pick a few of the ads from the display, and her eyebrows ticked up.

"Looking into real estate?" She asked him.

"Oh, no. This isn't for me." He said awkwardly. Hermione tucked the book under her arm, and turned to fully face him.

"It's not?" She asked.

"No." He answered, turning away from her and walking away.

She watched him walk to the door of the shop, and turn back to wait for her and Neville. They'd made plans to go get butterbeers after they were done in the bookshop. Hermione figured that he was ready to go, as he not only had the pamphlets that he had stuffed into his pocket, but he also held a small package under his arm. She hadn't even noticed him purchase it, so into her book she'd been.

Hermione walked away from the shelves, grabbed some new quills, ink and parchment, and made her way to the counter to pay. Neville joined her, buying his own quills and ink pots, before joining Malfoy by the door.

They made their way in silence to the Three Broomsticks. As soon as they entered, the loud chatter and laughter of students assaulted their ears. Hermione made a face. She wondered if they had been this loud when they'd been younger, as she slid in beside Neville at the bar.

"Were we this loud?" Malfoy asked, as though he'd read her mind.

"I know how to find out." Neville said, raising his arm slightly and getting the attention of Madame Rosmerta.

"Hello dears, been a while." She greeted them. "What can I get for you?" She asked, giving them a smile.

"Three butterbeers please." Hermione asked politely.

"And a firewhisky." Draco added, rubbing his temples.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, and he sneered at her. "What? If I have to sit through this, I'm going to have to drink."

Hermione thought about it for a minute before shrugging. Who was she to judge? Rosmerta set their drinks down on the bar, and they all took a sip of the warm drink, savoring it.

"Rosmerta, we were wondering. Were we this loud when we were students?" Neville asked her, making her throw back her head and laugh.

"You lot? You are three of the quietest students I have ever had the pleasure to come across. Your friends though, they were loud." She told them with a wink.

"Well, I know what friends she means for us, but I didn't know you had friends, Ferret." Hermione said in faux sincerity to Malfoy. His face turned a slight shade of pink as he lifted his firewhisky and downed it in one gulp.

"I had friends." He muttered.

"Oh!" Hermione gasped. "Ones only you could see?" She asked in a false whisper. He glared at her, and Neville laughed.

"Oh relax, Hermione! Knock it off." He said, shaking his head at them.

"At least my friends didn't get the exams canceled almost every year." He taunted her, and her jaw dropped.

"What? I don't know what you're talking about, they would never. They loved school." She said.

"So much they didn't come back for seventh year?" He asked. She knew that he meant it as a joke, but her face fell and Neville became silent behind her. "Oh, wait- I didn't-"

"No. It's fine." Hermione said, absentmindedly rubbing her scar on her arm under her robes. "At least my nickname isn't because I was shoved down someone's trousers after a professor made me a ferret." She said innocently.

"Low blow Granger. Low blow." He said, shaking his head and mock-glaring at her.

"You know, I always wondered, do you remember that… excursion?" Neville asked.

"Unfortunately." Malfoy answered, shuddering. "I feel sorry for any bird that had a go at that." He said, and Neville choked on his drink.

"What?!" He gasped, wiping his mouth.

"Apparently, he went to France the summer before sixth year, and was fairly… entertained, by the women." He explained, a disgusted look on his face.

"No…" Hermione said, shocked.

"Yeah. He even wrote a few, showed us the letters, there was no way he could have faked that. His handwriting was atrocious." He told them.

"Oh god… I do not want to think about that. Please talk about something else." She begged them.

"Alright… you and Severus." Draco said after a moment of thought.

"What about us?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Have you two shagged?" He asked, quiet enough so only she and Neville would be able to hear. She turned red instantly, and her mouth fell open as Neville once again choked on his drink. He really did have bad timing.

"I-I don't see how that's any of your business." She told him, turning her attention to the drink in front of her.

"So you haven't then." Malfoy said, shrugging.

"What? You two have been together for…" Neville got silent, attempting to do the math in his head.

"Almost eight months." Hermione answered for him.

"Do you even know your anniversary?" Malfoy asked, and she rolled her eyes.

"July twenty-ninth." She answered.

"And it's the eighteenth now. Less than two weeks and you will have been together for eight months." Neville said.

"And you haven't shagged?" Malfoy asked again in a hushed tone.

"No! Okay, no." She whispered, glancing around to be sure that nobody was listening in on them.

"Well, why not?" He asked her, Neville leaned in on her other side, to hear her answer.

"Why do you care?" She asked, shaking her head.

"I'm invested in your relationship." He said with a shrug.

"Look… we only just started sleeping in the same room as each other. We just… we aren't there yet." She said, staring down at the bar top. She didn't mean it of course, she had been ready for a while now.

"Neither of you?" He asked, and Hermione sighed.

"Look, I want to. But I'm not going to rush anything. I want us to work." She admitted.

"Hermione, neither of you are getting any younger." Malfoy said pointedly. "Might as well have fun." He said with a shrug.

"I can't believe we are talking about this." Hermione muttered to them.

"Fine, then we won't." Malfoy said with a shrug. "But, maybe you should talk to him about it."

Hermione glanced at Neville, who quickly looked away from her and down. She let out a sigh, maybe they were right. They did need to talk. They had snogged plenty of times, but Hermione loved him. She didn't see what was holding them back. Her mind took her back to a conversation they had once had, one of the many times that Severus had declared that he was too old for her, and she wanted to slap herself. Of course they needed to talk.

Malfoy went back to the castle first, as Hermione and Neville had to go through the village and assure that every student had cleared out and gone back to the school. When she and Neville had finally gotten to the castle, Hermione parted ways with him and went down to the dungeons instead of joining him for dinner in the Great Hall. She was tired, and just wanted to see Severus.

She didn't bother knocking on the door to his chambers, he had insisted that she was always welcome as he considered them hers as well. She smiled as she entered, he was sitting at his desk flipping through some papers, and hadn't heard her enter. She quietly removed her cloak and set it down on the bed before walking up behind him and touching his shoulder lightly.

"Hello." He greeted her softly, reaching one hand up and placing it on hers. "How was Hogsmeade?" He asked her.

"Loud. Louder than I remember." She told him, kissing his cheek.

"Three Broomsticks?" He asked with a small chuckle.

"Yes, it's much louder with all the students in it." She told him before glancing down at the papers in front of him. Her eyebrows raised, as they appeared to be the papers that Malfoy had collected earlier in the shop. "Severus? What are you doing?" She asked him.

"Looking at houses." He said distractedly, looking intently down at the description of one. "What do you think of this one?" He asked, holding the paper up for her to see.

"Wait." She shook her head in confusion. "You're moving?" She asked.

"I never really thought of Spinner's End as home, and I think it would be nice for us to have a home that we chose." He explained with a shrug, and Hermione could have sworn her heart skipped.

"Us?" She asked, her eyebrows raised as she took a step back to look at him properly. He shifted slightly to look at her and raised his own eyebrows, smiling slightly.

"Yes, us." He clarified for her.

"You… want me to live with you?" She asked him.

"You did all last summer, I don't see any problem with us getting a new house." He said.

"Severus, I lived in your house as your apprentice. Separate rooms, remember?" She asked him.

"Well, yes. I just thought… never mind." He said, shaking his head and gathering all the papers together.

"Severus, stop." Hermione quickly said, placing a hand on his to still his movements.

"No, of course it's too soon, I'm sorry." He said, opening a drawer of the desk and shoving the papers inside.

"Severus, just wait. I'm just surprised, is all, I didn't know that you wanted to live together." She explained to him. "I would…. I would love to live with you."

"Are you sure?" He asked, glancing at her.

"Of course I am. Are you?" She asked him in return.

"Well, I'm looking at houses, aren't I ?" He replied cheekily. She smiled and shook her head, holding back a laugh.

"But Severus… I don't have enough money to help buy a house." She told him.

"I'll buy it." He said without hesitation.

"I don't want to ask you to buy a house meant for the both of us." She objected.

"You aren't. I have too much money as it is. I know what I can afford. I would be more than happy to buy a house for us." He told her, gripping her hand tightly in his. He was gazing up at her hopefully, and Hermione smiled gently at him.

"I could try to help a bit, I have some saved up." She told him softly.

"If you insist, that's what we will do, but I can buy a house. I've already seen what Spinner's end is worth, I could buy two cottages with what it would fetch for." He told her.

"Well… do you have a new house in mind already?" She asked him. He looked at her for a moment longer before pulling the papers back out and shuffling through them, separating two of them from the rest.

"I think these would be good. They are both in Hogsmeade, so you could stay teaching here and live in the house instead of living in the castle. They both have shops attached to them, I could open my brewery. In another year of course. Not immediately." He told her. She moved to stand behind him and looked at the pictures over his shoulder. The first was a plain shop that appeared to have a flat over it. The picture changed, and it showed the flat's layout and interior space. It was small and very thought it was fine but she wasn't overly impressed.

The second paper, however, made her mouth drop and she snatched the paper up from the desk. Instead of a flat above the shop, the house was the back half of the building. She quickly read the description that was underneath the picture:

  * **Shop Space(2 floors):**  
_Large workroom/ stockroom (Upstairs)_  
_Lavatories for either public or personal use (Downstairs)_  
_Rest area for any employees (Upstairs)_  
_Checking counter (Downstairs)_  
_Ample shelving and floor space for product (Downstairs)_  
_Window display area (Downstairs)_
  * **Living/Housing(2 floors):**  
_2 Bedrooms (Upstairs)_  
_Study/den (Downstairs)_  
_2 Lavatories (Upstairs, one attached to master bedroom)_  
_Small sitting room (Downstairs)_  
_Kitchen (Downstairs)_

The pictures of the shop reminded her of Flourish and Blotts, the description accurately described how much shelving was inside the shop. When she saw the inside of the house however, she knew that this was theirs. She had to live there, the house was really a cottage that they had adjusted into two floors, which thankfully allowed for the 'study' that she was sure would become their own personal library.

"This one." She said, still gazing down at the paper in front of her.

"Love, did you want to see-" Severus began, but he stopped talking when she shook her head.

"No, this is it." She said. She looked up at him, smiling hopefully. "We could really get it?" She asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Then this one." She said again.

"Right, well I can contact someone and put in an offer, we'll just have to wait until summer to move." He told her, gently taking the paper from her and grabbing a quill. He wrote a few things down, it looked like a short task list, before setting it aside and standing from his chair. Hermione admired him as he stood, it was so rare that he wasn't wearing robes. He was fit enough, you could see muscle showing in his biceps and back when he stretched.

"Why haven't we shagged?" She blurted out. As soon as the words left her mouth, she slapped her hands on her mouth and he turned to face her, his eyes were wide with shock, and his ears quickly turned red. This was not how she meant to start this conversation.

"What?" He choked out, staring at her.

She slowly lowered her hands, and felt the blush enter her cheeks, surely they were as red as his ears.

"Erm…" She let out a shaky breath, "It's just, we've been together for eight months and we haven't really talked about it." She told him awkwardly.

They had only spoken about this once before, but it had only ended with him telling her that he loved her. Severus let out a low breath and leaned back against the desk, blinking a few times.

"Well… you want to talk about it?" He asked her.

She felt her cheeks grow warmer, and was sure that the blush had spread to the rest of her face as well. She took a few steps back and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I think so, yes." She said, biting her lip nervously.

"Right then. Well… You know that I have… Experience." He said, carefully choosing his words.

"And I don't." Hermione said quickly.

"I don't want to rush you into anything." Severus said gently.

"Severus… I love you. We just decided to buy a house together. I… I don't plan on going anywhere." She told him.

"What are you saying?" Severus asked her.

"Severus I plan on spending the rest of my life with you." She said, looking intently at the floor in front of her.

"You…" Severus cleared his throat gently, "you mean it?" He asked in a gentle tone.

"I really do." She said, looking straight at him. "So, if you want to wait a little longer, I understand. But… I think you should know that I am ready whenever you are." She told him boldly.

"Hermione.. you are so young, you have barely lived.. how do you know?" He asked her, rubbing his neck with one hand.

"Severus, you and I both know I have lived more than most people. I don't want my first time to be with anyone else. I love you, and…. I couldn't imagine being happier." She told him.

He took a deep breath, they generally didn't have very many heartfelt conversations like this, and it was apparent to both of them.

"I… I love you. I never thought I would love anyone again. But you… you have changed everything. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone. You are everything." Severus told her, his face becoming calm once more.

Hermione smiled at him slightly, and he went to her, enveloping her in his arms.

"I really love you." Hermione told him, her voice muffled slightly against his shirt.

"And I, you." He replied, kissing the top of her head.

Hermione wrapped her arms around him, and let out a deep breath, feeling relieved with their conversation.

"So." Severus said, taking a short step back but keeping his hands on her arms. He opened his mouth to continue speaking, but seemed to change his mind and instead ducked his head down, capturing her lips with his.

Hermione's hands moved on their own accord. Her one hand skimmed up along his side, absorbing the feel of his muscles below linen cloth as it moved to settle upon his shoulder. Her other tangled itself in hair the texture of fine silk. Her fingers tightened their grip as she felt him deepen the kiss.

She was held in place by Severus's hands, their nimble fingers splayed across the small of her back, anchoring her against him.

As his tongue swept against hers, Hermione felt a dam break inside her as a moan escaped her throat. She grabbed the fabric of his shirt and pulled it up and out from where it was tucked into the front of his pants. She began undoing the annoying number of buttons lining the front, before a thought struck her.

"Do you like this shirt?" She panted between kisses, tilting her head to give him access to her throat as he began nipping his way down. A soft sigh floated from her lips.

"Do I—"

Hermione didn't wait for him to properly answer, instead grabbing a side in each hand and giving a mighty tug. Buttons went flying onto the ground. Hermione was rewarded with the sight of his pale chest spattered with fine inky hairs.

"You do know you're a witch, love." His eyebrow was arched, but a smirk flirted with the corner of his lips as she turned her eyes upward. "And one quite talented with a wand?"

"Quite." She licked her lips. "But sometimes a hands on approach is much more… invigorating." She said, before leaning forward to kiss the center of his chest.

Severus's hands lifted the bottom of her shirt gently, a direct contrast to her own impatience. His finger traced along the gap between her belt and the edge of her shirt, teasing the exposed skin.

Goosebumps rose along her arms at the gentle whisper of his touch, and Hermione felt her nipples harden in anticipation. Going on instinct, she wrapped her arms around him, angling her pelvis so that it rubbed against him in the way she so deeply desired.

She'd kissed others before she'd begun seeing Severus. She'd thought she'd felt lust and all the wonderful hormonal trappings. But Merlin... She'd never felt the way she did in Severus's arms, the way his lips and touch drove every nerve ending wild. She couldn't get enough of the wizard currently enveloping her, and knew her heart was forever with the man in front of her.

She reached up and tugged his face down to hers, their lips meeting once again. This time the spark was a roaring inferno, their tongues and teeth and lips battling for dominance.

Hermione's felt as if she were in a dream. Surely this couldn't be real. As if they were of one mind, Severus began peeling her shirt up, however, Hermione stepped back.

"I'm yours." She said, pulling off her shirt in one fluid motion. She saw his eyes darken as they roamed over her bra clad torso. She'd never been so bare, so vulnerable, as she was in this moment.

Her breath hitched as a kernel of insecurity bubbled, ready to pop.

"You're…" Severus swallowed. "You're stunning."

The huskiness of his already knicker-drenching voice sent bolts of confidence into her heart. As his hands moved to caress her, his thumb trailed over the curve of her belly, the underside of her bra, she shuddered in pleasure. In desperate want of more, of everything he could give her.

Hermione took a sharp breath as Severus steered her back until her knees hit the bed. Sitting back gently against the satin luxury of his sheets, she pushed herself back on the bed, watching him intently as she did so.

Severus followed her onto the bed, his eyes glued to hers. Her hands rose to cup his cheeks, her thumbs stroking his face softly. Severus leaned over her, his forehead resting against hers, his eyes seeming to reach down into her soul.

Lying like this, him pressed against her, sheathing her with his body, she could feel his own excitement against her belly. Pressing against her through his trousers. Her heart was thundering in her chest. Nervous excitement and delicious anticipation threading itself through her veins.

She understood his concern that his experience would be an obstacle for her. At first, he'd been right. Insecurities and long held beliefs could be a nightmare in the early hours when logic gave way to fears.

However, after years of listening to her roommates talk and gossip about inept boys and fumbling fingers, she was relieved that her lover wouldn't fall into those categories. She knew that Severus would show her the proper way to be loved and cherished.

As his hand drifted down toward her arse, Hermione brought one of her hands between them, and undid her belt and the button at the top of her muggle jeans. Severus stilled, and locked his eyes onto hers.

"Are you sure?" He asked her softly.

"Yes." She answered immediately.

He remained still, his own nerves apparent. She realized she'd need to make the move, as no matter how many years separated them age wise, they were kindred souls of worry and caution.

She shifted her hands to his waistband, tucking both index fingers just inside the fabric and undoing the button on his trousers. She pushed both them and his pants down, just a little, which seemed to bring Severus back to the present.

"Off?" He asked, his eyes growing slightly wider.

"Off." She said. She threw a saucy smile his way, and was rewarded by a tilted lip of his own.

"My little minx," his voice was like smoked honey, smooth with dark undertones of desire.

Hermione shivered in want. In need.

He brushed a piece of hair off of her shoulder before moving off the bed just long enough to remove the trousers. He moved to get back onto the bed, but Hermione sat up and held up one finger.

"What?" He asked softly. She shifted her finger to point at his pants, and raised an eyebrow.

"Off?" He asked again.

"Off." She affirmed.

He paused for a moment before sliding his thumbs into the waistband and slowly pulling them down. Hermione watched him, feeling her cheeks get warm at the sight of him. Her breath hitched as he kicked them to the side.

"Come here." She whispered, licking her lips at the sight of him. He was absolutely magnificent. He obliged, returning to the bed, and she put her hands on his waist, pulling him toward her to kiss him deeply.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that it took so long for me to update, I've been focused on a few fic festivals, they have been taking up a lot of my time. Anywhooo I hope you enjoy the new chapter! Much Love- Bookworm

Hermione was thrilled. It had been just a couple months ago that Severus had made an offer on a house that Hermione had fallen in love with, and now that summer was upon them, they were finally packing up Spinner’s End. Severus had been quiet the past couple days as they packed, and though Hermione was excited, she needed to find out why he wasn’t.

“Severus?” She asked, knocking on the library door. He had continued packing it up that morning, while she had finished packing the sitting room. The library was the last room to be done, as they planned on handing over the keys to Spinner’s End that evening to the new owners.

“Yes?” He asked, not pausing in his packing of the books. 

“Severus, I wanted to talk to you.” She said, stepping into the room and making her way to stand next to him. He was still systematically setting books into boxes, and didn’t stop until Hermione stepped in front of him.

“Yes, love?” He asked, looking at her tiredly.

“Sit down.” She said, gesturing to the armchair behind him. He did as she told him, but sighed as he did so.

“Is something the matter?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Yes. What’s wrong with you? Ever since we came back you have been… well, more Snape and less Severus.” She said, crossing her arms at him. “I thought you wanted to move? If you don’t want this… we don’t have to.” Hermione told him.

“I do want this.” Severus said.

“Then why have you been so quiet? So… unhappy?” She asked him.

“I’m not unhappy.” He said immediately. “I.. This was my childhood home.” He told her.

“I know that. If you don’t want to move out, we don’t need to.” She said again.

“I do. I want to move, I want to leave this place. It’s just…” He thought for a moment, letting out a sigh. “Packing everything away is bringing up a lot of memories I had hoped to be rid of.” He explained to her.

“Like what?” She asked softly, taking a seat in the armchair next to him. 

“My father mostly.” He said simply.

“You never talk about your parents…” Hermione said slowly.

“No… My father was a drunk. The times that he was home from one pub or another was… unpleasant to say the least.” He explained to her.

“Oh.” Hermione said, looking down at the ground. She couldn’t exactly relate to that, as she had always thought of her parents as perfect.

“My mother tried to protect me as much as she could from him, but she could barely protect herself. She had stopped using magic, I don’t even know if she still could.” He told her.

“Your dad… he was a muggle?” Hermione asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yes, and he hated magic. My mother.. She didn’t leave him, even after he started hitting her. I never knew why, I got out as soon as I could.” He said, shaking his head.

“He… he hit you too, didn’t he?” She asked sadly.

“Yes, he did.” He replied.

“Why did you come back here?” She asked, looking around the room.

“My mother, actually. She.. was sick. I came to help her while I could.” He told her. “She passed soon after I came back, and left me with the house. I didn’t have one, so.. I stayed.” 

“Severus… do you really want to leave?” Hermione asked one more time.

“Yes. I do. I apologize that I have been more… Snape, as you say.” He said, playfully glaring at her.

“Apology accepted.” She said, smiling a little at him. “Now, Severus, would you like some help? We have to be leaving in..” She glanced at her watch, and her eyes grew wide. It had taken her longer than she had thought to pack up the sitting room. “We have an hour to finish.” She told him.

“I would greatly appreciate the help.” He told her. She nodded, and they both stood, pulling out their wands. In harmony, they both made a wide sweeping motion with their wands in the air, and all around them the books began to soar off of the bookshelves and into boxes.

“Do you want to send those boxes, and I’ll send these?” Severus suggested, gesturing to the two stacks of boxes that had formed.

“Sure.” Hermione agreed, flicking her wand at the boxes. They were using the same charm that they used for the start of school to move the student’s luggage to their dormitories, only now they were sending it to Snape Cottage. Hermione had begun using the name ‘Snape Cottage’ after they had put an offer in, and even though she had been using it as a joke, the name had stuck. They hadn’t yet talked about the shop attached to the house, but Hermione figured that conversation would happen after they settled into their new home.

They walked through the house, making sure they had gathered everything and that it was clean, before meeting each other in the middle of the sitting room. Hermione watched as Severus slowly looked around the room and took a deep breath. She gently reached out and took his hand in hers, giving him a small smile when he looked at her. He smiled back at her, and let out a deep breath.

A knock on the door broke them out of their silence, and she released his hand, letting him free to answer the door. He greeted the man standing outside, though they both kept it very business like. After answering a couple questions about the house, Severus handed the keys over, and Hermione and him exited the house. He looked back once at the house, giving it a nod, before leading Hermione down the street. They moved away from the house, they couldn’t apparate in the middle of a muggle street, and into an alley just down the street. They looked up and down the alley, making sure that they were truly alone, before Hermione grabbed his hand and allowed him to apparate them both.

Hermione immediately let go of his hand, only to clasp her own together at the sight of their home. Wanting to be surprised, Hermione had insisted on not seeing it in person, so Severus had been the one to go and make sure everything was in order before he had actually bought the house.

“Home.” She sighed softly, gazing at the building in front of her. Severus let out a low chuckle, and shook his head slightly.

“Would you like to go inside?” He asked, placing his hand gently on the small of her back. She grinned at him and nodded. He led the way inside, opening the door for her. 

She was in love. They walked through the house, and Hermione felt her excitement growing with every room they walked through. Severus, being the smart man he was, saved the study for last. When they walked inside, Hermione smiled widely. It was larger than it had seemed in the picture she had seen, and she felt her excitement bubbling over at the sight of the bookshelves lining the walls around them. 

“Can we unpack now?” She asked, turning to the boxes next to them.

“Maybe we should unpack the rest of the house first?” Severus suggested, raising his eyebrows in amusement. 

“Right, of course.” Hermione agreed enthusiastically.

It took two days for them to unpack everything, but finally they had the last dish placed in the cupboard, and the last book slid into place on a shelf. Neither of them had yet entered the shop, and Hermione was now itching to see the rest of the building they had bought.

“Severus… I was thinking, maybe we could go look at the shop today?” Hermione asked as they were drinking some coffee in the sitting room. Severus lifted his eyes from the book in his hands, and nodded.

“Of course we can.” He agreed. “But… I thought we agreed, I would open the shop after this year ends?” He asked.

“Well… yes, that’s what we talked about, but I was thinking, you already brew some for St. Mungo’s, why not just open it this summer?” She asked.

“I told Minerva I would be back this year.” Severus said.

“Severus, you know that she would understand. I can take over the classes. It wouldn’t be a problem, and you can start the shop up.” She told him.

“Hermione…” Severus said, shutting his book and letting out a breath. “I can’t open the shop right now.” He told her.

“Why not?” She asked, setting her coffee down and staring at him.

“It’s not a good idea.” He said.

“What? The shop? Or opening it now?” She asked, slightly confused.

“The shop.” He sighed. “What was I thinking? I can’t open a shop. I’m a Death Eater! Nobody will buy anything from me.” He said angrily, glaring at the floor in front of him.

“Severus…” Hermione said his name gently, and scooted closer to him on the small sofa. “Severus, look at me.” She said, smiling gently when he did as she told him.

“What?” He asked.

“Severus. You are an amazing wizard, and a wonderfully talented Potions Master. You are _ not _ a Death Eater. You were cleared of all charges, and that is part of your past. The people who matter will only see your talent, and they will be your customers. All the rest of them can bugger off.” She insisted. “Besides, you don’t even have the mark anymore.”

“Hermione, I don’t even know how to start the shop.” He told her, finding another reason to not open it. 

“Easy. You already brew for St. Mungo’s. Make them give you a contract, and you can build on that. It’s easy enough to make flyers, and we can ask the busiest shops if they would be willing to have some. Severus, you don’t have to do this alone, I can help you start up.” Hermione told him, placing a hand on his.

“You would do that?” He asked.

“Of course I would.” She said, rolling her eyes at him. “All you have to do is name the shop. And get the contract with Mungo’s drawn up.” She added that as an afterthought.

“I forgot… a name..” He groaned.

“Well… maybe you don’t have to think of one. I’ve been thinking about it actually, and I think I have one.” Hermione admitted.

“Oh?” He asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

“Prince Potions.” She said it as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“But my name isn’t Prince.” He said.

“No, it was your mothers. Who, if I remember correctly, passed her talent for potions onto you?” She asked. He nodded slightly, and finally set his book aside. She was pleased that she seemed to have ebbed his fears of opening the shop a bit.

“Besides, I need you to brew my potion and sell it. It’s my patent, and I’ll give you the rights for it. You will be the only Potions Master with the rights to sell it. And it’s too complicated for anyone to brew at home.” She told him, and his eyes went wide.

“You’ll let me brew your potion?” He asked, and she nodded.

“People need it. I’ve brewed it a few times in my spare time for people who asked, but it’s time consuming. I can’t keep up with the people who are asking. They’ll have to come to you.” She explained to him.

“Wait, people have been asking you to brew it for them?” He asked, surprised at the news.

“Yes. People from the war mostly. Severus, people need you. They need the shop.” She told him.

“You really think I should open it?” He asked.

“I really do.” She said, nodding.

“I think… maybe. I need to think about it.” He said. She nodded in understanding, and stood.

“While you think about that, can we go look at it?” She asked, holding her hand out to him. He took her hand carefully and followed her out of the room, down to the door that led into the shop.

“Hermione! Could you come in here?” Severus asked from his study. Hermione set down her quill, she had been working on her lesson plans for the upcoming year, as the start of term was now only a month away. She and Severus had not talked any more about his opening of the shop, and Hermione had actually resigned herself that he would just have to wait until next year to do so. She walked into his study, and smiled at him.

“Yes?” She asked, raising her eyebrows at him. He looked flustered, his hair was uncombed and his tunic was off by one button as he scribbled on a paper in front of him.

“If I opened in say, a week, do you think we would have customers?” He asked, surprising her.

“You made up your mind?” She asked.

“Yes. I want to do this. Are you still sure about it?” He asked her.

“Of course I am. What do you need?” She asked him.

“You said I should get a contract with St. Mungo’s, so I need that done, and you suggested flyers. I have a list, I need to get suppliers for a lot of this. For now, I can get some of it from the apothecary, but I’ll need to find my own.” He said, shaking his head and crossing something out on the paper.

“Let me see what you need.” Hermione said, holding her hand out. She quickly read over the paper, and sighed as she sat it down. “It’s a lot to do Severus.” She said softly. He deflated a little, and brushed his hair out of his face.

“We can’t do it…” He said sadly.

“That’s not what I’m saying Sev.” She said quickly. “It’s just a lot of work, so I think we might want to ask Draco if he would be willing to help?” She suggested. They had invited him and Neville over for dinner a few times, the same invitation had been extended to Harry, Ron and Ginny, but Harry had come a couple times where Draco and Neville had come every time they had been offered. She now loosely considered him a friend, but trusted him completely when it came to Severus.

Severus agreed to asking Draco for his help, and Hermione immediately stood and walked into the sitting room to use the fireplace. 

“Malfoy Manor!” She called out, stepping into the fireplace. She was spit out onto the carpet of his own sitting room, she stumbled a little on landing, but found her footing quickly enough before dusting herself off. “Draco?” She called out. She hoped that he was nearby, she had a feeling that this house was too big to hear someone across it. 

“Miss? Can I help you?” A small voice said, Hermione jumped slightly, and quickly found the source of the voice in a doorway on the side of the room. A house elf was standing in the doorway, staring at her with wide eyes.

“Oh, hello. Erm… I’m looking for Draco?” She asked, nervously looking around the room. She hadn’t been in this house since she had been tortured.

“I could take you to him, Miss.” The house elf offered.

“Actually, could you ask him to come here?” Hermione asked. She felt glued to the floor, and she felt her heart start to pound against her chest. She slid her wand into her hand, wanting the small amount of comfort it offered her.

“Hermione?” She heard Draco ask after he walked into the room. She looked at him, and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. “Hermione? Are you alright?” He asked, sounding concerned. He stepped closer to her, but as if it was instinct, her wand twitched. 

“Master?” Hermione flicked her eyes to the elf, who was staring frightfully at Hermione. She then realized just how many doors were in the room, and began to watch them intently.

“It’s fine Willow. You can go.” Draco said evenly, keeping his eyes trained on Hermione. “Hermione… It’s just me. Nobody else is here. It’s just me. Willow just left, it’s just me. Nothing is going to happen.” He assured her, holding his hands up slightly to show he didn’t have a wand.

“I- I want to go.” Hermione finally choked out. 

“Okay, let’s go. I’ll follow after you, it’s just going to be me coming, alright?” Draco assured her. She stepped back, but realized that to leave the house she would have to turn away from the room. The entire time, her eyes had been flickering from one door to another, ensuring that she wouldn’t be caught by surprise. 

“Can we apparate?” She asked, now looking directly at Draco.

“Of course. Where to?” He asked. 

“Home.” She said, turning on her heel and closing her eyes tightly as she was pulled away from Malfoy Manor. As soon as she felt her feet hit the floor, she kneeled down. She gasped in a breath of air, and felt relief flood through her. She heard Draco appear next to her, and the relief was replaced with shame.

“Hermione, are you alright?” Draco asked, kneeling down next to her on the floor. 

“I’m so sorry.” She whispered. “I just- don’t tell Severus.” She said, looking up at him.

“Right. Of course. But, I need to know that you’re okay.” Draco said softly, placing a hand gently on her arm. She flinched away, but nodded.

“I’m alright…” She said after a moment. She took a second to gather herself before standing up. Draco followed suit, watching her carefully. “I just.. Being there.” She said.

“I’m sorry… If I had known that you wanted to talk, I would have just come here.” He told her.

“I know… I should have just sent a patronus.” She said, shaking her head.

“What happened?” Draco asked her.

“Just… being there. I felt like someone was going to pop up and start attacking…” Hermione said, closing her eyes.

“I know… I’ve been trying to sell it.” Draco said, surprising her.

“Really?” 

“Yeah, I don’t need that place, and there’s still traces of dark magic all over, I need out of there.” He told her. They looked at each other for a moment, until he cleared his throat. “So, what did you need?” He asked.

“Right.” Hermione said, taking a last deep breath to calm herself. “Severus wants to open the shop in a week. We need to get a lot done, and I was wondering if you could help?” She asked.

“What do you need me to do?” He asked.


End file.
